


Hey, let's fall in love

by captainhurricane



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Blowjobs, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Friends to Lovers, Gentle Kissing, M/M, Minor Allura/Pidge, Minor Hunk/Lance (Voltron), Mutual Pining, So much kissing, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Writing Fluff Out Of Pure Spite, oblivious shiro is oblivious
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-11
Updated: 2017-05-06
Packaged: 2018-10-17 17:18:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 19,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10598583
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainhurricane/pseuds/captainhurricane
Summary: Stargazing university boy Shiro finds himself in a pinch when his best friend invites him to her wedding. The catch? A plus one is kind of a necessity.Thankfully his life is an actual romantic comedy and the answer to all of his problems may lay closer than he thinks.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> i have some trouble with suspending my belief for most fake dating aus and there's a serious lack of it in the sheith-tag so here's my contribution.

To say that Shiro’s mother was unhappy about him moving so far from her is an understatement. She had been more concerned with him doing well in his studies and finding a future wife than his actual happiness in his own life that Shiro hadn’t even been surprised by her reaction when he had first told her that he’s moving.

After high school he had been drifting for so long without any close friends- lots and lots of casual acquaintances and girls asking for his phone number or inviting him to various apps- and without any real direction in his life that when he had been accepted to the academy he had only applied to when he hadn’t managed to think of much else: he didn’t think he’d get in, not with his average high school diploma and without anything else to show that he’s actually doing something with his life.

But the Garrison had seen _something_ in him and thus, the thick acceptance letter and the consequential packing of everything Shiro owns and might need.

The goodbyes with his mother had been teary (on her part) and full of hugs (on his part). He doesn’t blame her, not really. The accident that had ended his father’s and his little sister’s lives had taken its toll on her after all.

Shiro’s own prosthetic arm, currently one of those clumsy awkwardly real-looking ones, is a stark reminder of that loss.

Secretly he thinks that him being out of her sight is going to be good for her. She’d been babying him ever since the accident, had been stifling him, barely let him out of the house for weeks after he had gotten out of the hospital: she hadn’t had the time for herself at all.

So now he only visits during Christmas and sometimes in the summer. She often calls. He prefers to text, having gotten rather proficient at one-handed texting anyway. He doesn’t tell her of his nightmares or the way the prosthetic keeps paining him but he does tell her of his studies and his first months in the Garrison.

She carefully asks him about anyone special.

He refrains from answering with a sigh.

His pansexuality had been a difficult subject for her, maybe in her mind it had been just one more thing that would make Shiro different from everyone else, would hurt him and make him vulnerable in the world’s eyes. To him it had never been a big problem.

So now he keeps his crushes and the people he watches to himself. He doesn’t tell her of the non-binary person he dates for a couple of months during his first year. He doesn’t tell her of the girl he dates for a week during his last couple of months as a first year before she breaks it off with the age-old words _it’s not you, it’s me._

Shiro does tell his mother of Allura but makes a point to say Allura’s not interested and that Shiro’s not interested. But Allura’s the first proper friend in a long time and soon enough the two are inseparable.

Shiro just wishes she’d let him being single go. It’s not a big deal, really. Even if it grates him how many of Allura’s friends- and by proxy, his friends- are engaged or dating or just generally happy about relationships and look at him weirdly when he says he prefers to do things by himself.

‘

“I realize you are happy in a relationship but I’m perfectly happy without,” he tries for the third time the same evening. They’re lounging around at the Garrison cafeteria, him and Allura and a bunch of other friends. Shiro’s long since finished with his lunch but Allura’s going through her third tiny bowl of dessert, making something that should be messy look absurdly dignified.

“It’s not like me or any of us are judging you for being single,” Allura says, still staring at him. “But honestly, you keep looking so sad even though you’re pretty much the class star and you’re as handsome as you are and all.” She huffs. Tilts her head. “I just want to see you happy, Shiro. Being in love makes you glow.” Her dark cheeks darken further as she giggles. “I would know.”

Shiro has to smile at that. While Allura talks a lot about her fianceé - an absurdly clever child genius Pidge-, sometimes so much that Shiro starts to space out, she never forgets about other people. And she gets the sweetest little smile on her face.

Shiro had only met Pidge so far thrice as she’s above him at school by two years despite being five years younger and had found Pidge an enigma. Clever, certainly. Terrifyingly so and sometimes just generally terrifying. But mostly Shiro had befriended Pidge with ease that surprised both of them and now they occasionally send each other cat pictures- her family has three, one of them her twin brother’s and Shiro just generally likes cats- and witty comments about their life.

“Looking at you and Pidge in love is enough for me,” Shiro says gently, watches Allura twirl in her spoon in her chocolatey mess.

“Still,” she says. “You deserve to be in love, Shiro.” She doesn’t have to look at his prosthetic. Instinctively Shiro tugs his sleeve further to cover it up, even though its silver gleam is hard to hide.

“Of course I do. And that will come. In time.”

Allura hums. “Anyhow-“ her eyes sparkle dangerously. Shiro hasn’t been friends with her quite long enough to be able to deduce her moods with ease so he misses the impending danger. Allura leans forward, her elbows on the table, her chin on her hands. “How’s your new friend, mister Hot Mechanic?”

Shiro blinks. “Oh, Keith? Keith’s fine.” Shiro kind of regrets telling Allura of Keith: not that there’s anything shameful in Shiro actually befriending someone outside of school but the way they had met had been straight out of a romantic comedy. The kind of goofy, cheerful ones that Shiro sometimes watches himself when he feels like killing time and seeing pretty people be happy together.

He also regrets telling Allura that his first reaction at actually seeing Keith and speaking to Keith had been to gawk awkwardly and make a mess out of introducing himself.

“I’m sure he’s fine, Shiro,” Allura says. She winks.

Shiro snorts. “Just because I think he’s cute doesn’t mean I want to bone him, Allura. Come on.”

Allura tosses her napkin airplane at him. “Fine. But you’re introducing your mystery man to us one day. I don’t care that he doesn’t go to school or anything, mechanics are hot.”

“Just because he’s young and pretty,” Shiro huffs. He tosses the napkin back. Allura tosses it back. They snicker and leave the subject be.

Although Shiro is sure he can feel her eyes at the back of his head for the rest of the day. Especially when Shiro actually gets a text from Keith, ranting about a difficult customer at the auto shop he works in and Shiro’s only response being a genuine, wide smile.

Oh, Keith. Their first meeting had been the stuff of the romantic comedies and dramas. Shiro still can’t quite believe it had actually happened and that Keith had actually found a way to contact him later on; Shiro barely believes that Keith Kogane had become his friend afterwards.

Truth to be told, Shiro’s first impression of him had been to think _wow, foxy_ because his brain apparently thinks foxy is a suitable equivalent to sexy.

Keith hadn’t probably been feeling very sexy when Shiro had first spotted him on the train during one special evening, on his way from the city center back to the Garrison. If Keith had been travelling by train before, Shiro had not seen him. He would have noticed for sure.

Keith had been sitting by himself, nose deep in a book, earbuds tugged into his ears and he had looked so effortlessly, casually cool that Shiro had begun to stare. He stared through three train stops, watched Keith tuck a strand of hair behind his ear, chew on his lip. Shiro had watched the fluorescent lights make Keith’s earrings- there had been at least four in his left one- glimmer.

Shiro had watched when an obviously drunken group of people of various genders had stumbled in from one stop and almost instantly crowded Keith.

“Heyyy, pretty boy, whatchu doing?”

“What’re you listening?”

“Oh man, you’re so fucking pretty, holy shit-“

The comments had become slowly ruder and more inappropriate, one of the drunkards had even sat down next to Keith and yanked out one of his earbuds, ignoring Keith’s glare.

Shiro had glanced around himself, noticing that there had been no one else in the immediate vicinity. He had straightened in his seat, wondering if he should butt in when he didn’t actually know Keith then and Keith seemed to be able to hiss back well enough.

“I’m not interested, back the fuck off-“ Keith had been snarling, now standing up on the slightly trembling train, his book tugged against his chest.

“Pretty boys like you always are,” one of his tormentors had countered, had towered over Keith with his more or less impressive height.

Thankfully Shiro had been even taller, as he had come to notice when he had stepped close enough to hear and be heard, having only seconds to think of a way to worm his way into the situation without any extra aggression.

The words that had come out of Shiro’s mouth had surprised even himself.

“Oh, here you are, babe, I thought you’d be more in the back-“ he had said and neatly slid next to Keith, sliding an arm around Keith’s shoulders, silently apologizing to him for the intrusion. Keith had stilled, his mouth dropping open.

“What the fuck?” Keith’s tormentors had been momentarily confused.

 _Please play along,_ Shiro had thought, keeping his touch as light as possible. But Keith had then shifted, the brightest smile spreading on his face. He had leaned up and kissed Shiro’s cheek so utterly casually that Shiro had been left as stunned as Keith’s tormentors.

“If you called me, I’m sorry, I think I may have dumped my phone at the bottom of my bag or something,” Keith had said, his voice such a soft purr that Shiro had decided that instant that if Keith asked, he’d bring down the moon.

Afterwards, Keith had ignored his apologies and instead offered a small smile at him. They had introduced themselves and that had been that. Shiro had thought so, at least. But then Keith had sent a friend request on Facebook of all places- the account that Shiro only keeps for contacting people he knows and doesn’t talk otherwise- and the most curious, shy message.

Shiro had accepted instantly.

And that had been that.

Whatever romantic notions he might have had at first glance, he had buried. It’s not like he even has the time or the energy for relationships and besides, Keith had been seeing someone: that someone had apparently dumped Keith a week after they had gotten to know each other but still.

Keith may be pretty, good with his hands, good when talking about difficult parental relationships and such but he’s just a friend.

He is still the first person Shiro thinks about when he gets the invitation to Allura and Pidge’s wedding.

_Plus one required for everything but the ceremony itself?! What the hell, Ali?_


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith and Shiro have a chat and come to a decision.

“And now she and Pidge had apparently decided to hold most of their wedding parties at some couples only resort and I’m getting a headache and- I wish she’d let me being single go, it’s not like I’m miserable.” Shiro rubs his temples, his tea long gone cold and his dinner half eaten. He had invited Keith over for some co-miseration after Keith’s long hard week at work and Shiro’s long hard week at school and they had spent most of the evening watching Netflix and eating the dinner that Shiro had so diligently put together earlier. He’s not a bad cook, not really but he’s not as good as Keith who’s pretty much a master in the kitchen.

Keith seems to like his spaghetti and meatballs fine enough as he’s finished his plate long ago. They’re sitting on Shiro’s ratty, tiny couch side by side, plates on their laps. Keith has been leaning against the other armrest for a while now, listening to Shiro rant.

Keith’s mouth quirks.

Shiro can feel his own cheeks get a little hot. “I’ m not.”

Keith snorts. “It’s not that. It’s just, it’s kinda funny.” He twirls a strand of hair around a finger. “So how many others did they invite? Do you know?”

Shiro shrugs. “Allura has a lot of friends and a big family. And by lot I mean… a lot. I don’t think so much from Pidge’s side, pretty much just her parents and her brother. And well, the ceremony itself is gonna be at this church that Allura likes. It’s just that everything else is going to happen at this resort that Allura also likes.” He sighs. “I could just not go but Allura’s terrifying when she’s disappointed. But then again, my mom might hear about me not going- or me going and just- what the hell. Not to mention the amount of questions I’m going to get for arriving alone when I’m single and handsome and all-“

Keith snorts again.

Shiro’s nose wrinkles. “Keith, please. You don’t even live around here. You don’t know them, it’s a pain. Not to mention my mom always calling to ask if I’ve become the straight son she always wanted and if I’m already with a girlfriend who’ll have my babies and-“ Shiro’s mouth twitches when Keith laughs. “Stop it, Keith. I’m serious. She was so happy when I was dating a girl but anyone else is just a no-go. Like I become someone entirely different and disgusting to her when I date someone who’s not a girl. Dammit. I don’t know what to do. I’m perfectly happy with my life as it is but everyone else just- I don’t know.”

Keith hums. He places his chin on his palms and squints at Shiro. “Why don’t you just bring someone to the wedding then?”

Shiro huffs. “Who would I bring?”

Keith raises an eyebrow. His grin a little crooked, mischievous. Shiro blinks. It’s not like he hadn’t thought about it but there would be no point in bringing a friend. He says it out loud, feeling his cheeks grow hot again.

Keith’s grin widens. “Well… Allura doesn’t know me, right? Your mother doesn’t know about me, right? I’m pretty much some random pretty boy you rescued on a train one day and from what it sounds like, Allura already thinks you’ve got the hots for me. So why don’t you bring me to the wedding- as your boyfriend.”

Shiro blinks. “What?”

Keith shifts, glancing away and then back to Shiro. The glow of the TV makes his cheek blue. “You heard me. You can just say you fell for me and we started dating because you’re hot and all and it’s all been so quick and new that you haven’t dared to say anything to Allura. That works, right? How long is the wedding supposed to take anyway? A couple of days?”

Shiro scratches his chin. “Uh, usually it’s like a day or so but it’s not exactly happening next door. Allura’s Cuban so… yeah.”

Keith’s eyes widen. “Cuba?”

“I might have neglected to mention that Allura’s family is ridiculously loaded. And that Pidge’s father is Samuel Holt aka one of NASA’s leading scientists so they’re pretty much rich enough to do whatever they want. And even without that, it’s not like Cuba is on the other side of the world so… yeah. Cuba.”

“Holyshit. You gotta bring me. I’ve never been to Cuba. One of my exes was Cuban but he hadn’t exactly lived there for years and had no family there anyway so I haven’t been. I did take some salsa classes with him and was kinda hoping to take more.” Keith crosses his legs under him and peers at Shiro, swaying on his seat.

Shiro swallows. “But everyone knows I’m single- I don’t think I’d be a good boyfriend, pretend or otherwise-“ his sentence is swallowed by Keith’s palm, pressed against his mouth. Shiro blinks. Keith clicks his tongue, withdraws his hand.

“That’s a dumb thing to say, Shiro. You’d be a perfect boyfriend, it’s plain as day to me and probably to everyone with a pair of working eyes. I mean, dude, first of all, you’re fucking beautiful.”

Shiro flushes. “Keith-“

Keith shakes his head, his smile soft. “Shut up, let me finish. Second of all, you’re the nicest, sweetest person I have ever known. You have a great music taste, you have a great taste in movies, you can cook decently, you can probably bench press me if you want and you’re always so considerate and kind and probably pat stray puppies in your spare time. Honestly.”

Shiro hides his face behind his hands and listens to Keith laughing.

“I clearly gotta compliment you more often if it gets you like this,” Keith says and nudges Shiro in the side.

Shiro huffs. “Keith,” he groans, finding it hard to deny Keith’s sparkling, amused eyes.

Keith snorts. He leans back against the armrest, putting both of their plates away. “So how about it? No matter how long this trip to Cuba is, be my fake boyfriend?”

Shiro opens his mouth. Closes it. “No one’s gonna believe it,” he tries but is already imagining it, already almost hearing Allura’s laughter in his ears- _I knew you liked Keith, I mean, the way you talked about him was like sooo obvious and the fact that you kept hiding him from everyone else, oh Shiro_ \- and already thinking of telling his mother that he’s dating a guy just to spite her. Shiro stills. It’s not exactly his mother’s fault that she was raised the way she is but Shiro’s heard enough bullshit from her to lose some of his sympathies for her.  

Shiro flinches when Keith’s hand lands on his knee. “Shiro? If you’re not comfortable with the thought, we don’t have to-“

“Let’s do it.”

Shiro freezes. Keith freezes. Shiro meets his friend’s eyes, places his larger palm on Keith’s hand. “The trip will most likely take at least five days from what Ali told me. Her family’s gonna take care of the plane tickets and all and she’s expecting my answer in like a day or so. The wedding’s gonna happen in two months so everyone’s got plenty of time to prepare. Let’s be fake boyfriends then. I have no clue how to do it or what it entails but just… let’s. You’ll get a trip to Cuba for it and my delightful company for free and I’ll get some peace of goddamn mind and I get to stay at this chill-sounding resort.”

Keith grins. “This is the most ridiculous thing I have ever suggested but what the hell, man. Just text me the days and I’ll see if I can get it free from work. Then you can tell me all about this resort. Does it have a spa? I hope it has a spa. I could use a massage.”

Shiro snorts, pulls both his knee and his hand away and takes the remote from the backrest to change the channel. “So do we all. Should I text Allura immediately that I probably have a plus one?”

Keith can’t bite back a snicker. “What the hell, do it. You already pretended to be my boyfriend once, shouldn’t be a problem to do it again. All I have to do is gaze at your biceps lovingly and you only have to be your delightfully adorable flustered self.”

Shiro flushes. “I’m not adorable.”

Keith raises an eyebrow.

Shiro kicks him in the shin and reaches for his phone on the table. Keith squirms his way closer, putting his chin on Shiro’s shoulder.

“Can I write the messages?”

Shiro shrugs, giving the phone to Keith who slips his hands around Shiro so they can both see the screen.

  * _So it seems I do have a plus one to the wedding._
  * _He’s gonna try to see if he can get the week off from his work. But he just might. So you can get off my back about me being a miserable loner._



 

  * _?????????_



 

  * _before you ask then yes, it’s Keith_
  * _I didn’t wanna tell you about us before because it’s kinda new and all and I hope you or anyone else won’t scare him away_



Keith snickers. Shiro elbows him, gently.

“Like you could be scared away by anyone or anything,” he says.

“Damn right,” Keith says.

  * _UM HOLY SHIT SHIRO WHAT THE HELL AA A_
  * _also yes Keith is very welcome!!!!! I can’t believe you’ve been keeping him under wraps AND have been dating him too???!!?_
  * _WHAT THE HEL L_



Shiro sighs. “It’s not that big of a deal.”

Keith pats his knee. “Relationships are kinda nice though. And you have been looking kinda sad lately.”

“I’m not,” Shiro bristles but then Keith taps another reply.

  * _Sorry ;) I just. I wanna be careful this time. With this relationship. And I didn’t want to introduce him as my boyfriend before I was sure he’d actually want to be one but here we are now._
  * _AAAA I’m so happy for you, Shiro!!!! <3<3 I’m sure everyone else will be too!!! I’ll forward this to my family as they are doing most of the preparations with me and Pidge and we’ll get your plane tickets sent you as soon as you tell us if Keith can make it!! I really hope he will!!!!_
  * _I hope so too! You guys will like him, he’s a beauty. <3 _
  * _Awwwww <3<3<3_



Shiro elbows Keith again. Keith snorts.

“Well, you were the one who told me I was pretty the first time we met, so it’s not exactly a lie.”

Shiro huffs. “It’s just the truth. And I’ve been practicing the act of complimenting others, no matter their gender. And you didn’t seem to mind.”

Keith pats his knee again. “I don’t mind. What guy minds getting compliments for his looks? Aside from like, the super masculine types who are full of themselves anyway and can go suck some dicks for all I care.”

Shiro snorts. Keith snickers. “No homo though,” he says.

Shiro elbows him again. “I never want to hear those three words from you ever again.”

“Sorry. The moment was just too good,” Keith says and he starts to laugh, the sound rumbling all the way from his stomach. It’s contagious enough that Shiro joins in and soon both are dissolving into tired chuckles and snorts, elbowing and shoving at each other, long enough that when the laughter finally fades away, both find themselves yawning.

“Oh damn, it’s already that late. I really gotta get home but it was nice to come over again,” Keith says, gathering himself and clearing his throat as he gets up.

“You can always stay the night if you want,” Shiro says, putting the TV on mute. Even though neither had actually been watching it for at least an hour by now.

Keith smiles. “Nah, I don’t wanna impose on you too much. And besides, sorry, but your couch isn’t exactly made to be slept on.”

Shiro snorts. _You could always sleep next to me on my bed, you know,_ he wants to say. Instead he says: “Sorry.”

Keith waves a dismissive hand and makes his way to the front door. “It’s fine. Maybe next time.  I’d invite you over but you know, having three roommates who I more or less hate already is kinda- they’d just chew you out. Especially when one of them’s a serious homophobe and whined at me for the whole evening during  Pride. What a dick.”

“So you’ve told,” Shiro says. He leans against the wall with his arms crossed and watches Keith pull on his jacket and boots. Those same boots that Keith had been wearing the night they met: pointy tips, a little heel, chocolate brown and just accentuating Keith’s absurdly long legs.

“So long then, boyfriend,” Keith says. He smirks.

Shiro flushes. “Stop it.”

Keith snickers, his own cheeks a little pink. “Who knows, it might even be fun. If nothing else, at least will get some spa trips and food out of it. There will be food, right?”

Shiro nods. “Like I said, her family’s huge and loaded. Of course there’ll be some pretty amazing food.”

“Sounds good enough to me. But anyway, I’ll check with my boss about that week. Just send me those days, yeah?”

“Sure thing, Keith. Talk to you later!”

Keith smiles and waves and disappears with one quick step to the hallway. Shiro stays still and listens to Keith’s footsteps fade towards the elevator.

“What the fuck. Let’s be fake boyfriends? What the fuck, me?” Shiro groans, lowers himself into a crouch. Hides his face from the world. His cheeks burn.

 

_I’m going to be pretending to be Keith’s boyfriend for like a week. A week! Keith’s! Boyfriend! Can I panic already?_

~

 

Shiro is supremely proud of himself for not panicking when he calls his mother and tells her about Allura’s upcoming wedding to her girlfriend and tells her that Shiro’s also been invited. And that he’ll be participating.

With his boyfriend.

His mother hangs up. Shiro swallows back disappointment. Not that he should expect anything different.

So he spends time with Keith whenever Keith has free time, spends time with Allura or his other friends when they have free time and studies through long, long days that seem to stretch into eternity.

He sends the days of the wedding party trip to Keith. Keith gets those days off, throws a few winky faces into his texts and Shiro answers with a few of his own. They get some good laughs out of it while they meet up in Keith’s favoured café or Shiro’s apartment or just the city center.

Slowly Keith integrates himself into Shiro’s circles, even makes a few social media-accounts to follow Shiro. _What kind of a boyfriend am I if I don’t follow you ;)_ says one of Keith’s numerous texts. Shiro combusts internally.

~

A couple of weeks before the trip, Shiro and Keith are once more spending a quiet evening at Shiro’s apartment, the TV blaring some crime show and Keith wrist-deep in a bag of chips. He manages to not make a complete mess out of himself with them, chews them thoughtfully one at a time. His hair is loose, his few earrings glimmering in the glow of the TV.

The couple of beer cans and a half-finished bottle of red wine that Keith had brought as a gift are laying on the coffee table.

Shiro feels pleasantly buzzed so his mouth gets away from him. He pokes Keith with his bare foot.

“Hey, hey. Hey, Keith.”

Keith’s answer is momentarily lost in the scrunch of chips. “Hmm?”

“Thank you.” Shiro closes his eyes. “You’re already the best fake boyfriend I’ve ever had.”

Keith snorts. Pokes Shiro back with his foot. “Same. I forgot to ask, people are probably gonna ask how you met me, should we just stick to the truth?”

Shiro throws his arm over his eyes. “Well, it was straight out of a rom-com anyway, so why not. I still can’t believe I actually looked at the situation and went: hey, I’m gonna pretend to be this person’s boyfriend even though I don’t know them at all! Instead of you know, just telling them to back off.”

Keith laughs. “It was kinda surprising but at least those guys backed off quickly after taking one look at your biceps.”

Shiro groans. “I feel objectified.”

Keith kicks him in the side, gently. “Don’t worry, handsome, I like you for your brain too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the short chapters but I only have enough brainpower for a couple of thousand words at a time lmao 
> 
> *goes back to persona 5*


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith and Shiro practice a little kiss. Shiro doubts his feelings for Keith but they're 100% platonic, right?

“Are you sure?”

“Shiro.”

“Don’t Shiro me. Are you sure?”

They stare at each other, two opened suitcases between them on Shiro’s bed. Keith had relocated both himself and his already packed suitcase to Shiro’s apartment the day before they leave for the trip, only to find Shiro in the middle of trying to pack himself and tossing armfuls of clothing to his bed.

Shiro’s doubts had struck him again: not because of Keith’s ability to pull this off but of his own, and  making everyone else believe that their relationship is a romantic one and not the platonic one it really is.

Keith’s confidence in it does help, although he seems to find the whole thing more amusing than Shiro.

“You do realize we’re gonna have to act like a real couple, yes?” Shiro fidgets with yet another t-shirt, staring at the way the light plays on Keith’s hair.

“Well, you’re the one more experienced with relationships so you can lead me. It’s not like we’re going to have sex,” Keith says, his tone nonchalant but he glances away and his cheeks are a little pink. “And we already hug a lot and even kiss sometimes so it’s not like things are going to be that much different.”

Shiro fidgets. “We don’t kiss on the mouth though.”

Keith flushes but he clears his throat, stands a little straighter. “Hey, like I said. You’re beautiful. It’d be a priviledge to make out with you.”

He sticks out his tongue when Shiro stutters and then lets out a startled chuckle. He tosses the shirt he’s holding at Keith who doesn’t even bother trying to dodge, instead grabs the shirt.

“And dude, I already steal your clothes. Just remember to introduce me to your hundred friends as your boyfriend, not your friend and grab my waist or something and we’re all good. Can you dance though?”

Shiro blinks, having picked up another shirt. He meticulously folds it. “What? You mean waltz?”

Keith shrugs. “Whatever people dance to at weddings. I’ve never been to one so.”

Shiro hums. Somehow admitting this makes him more flustered than usual. “I’m, uh, proficient enough in waltz and such but I don’t think Pidge or Allura expect anyone to be an expert. We don’t have to dance.”

“Oh no, of course we do,” Keith says and goes around the bed to Shiro’s side, nudging at Shiro’s hands so that he puts down the shirt. Keith grabs Shiro’s hands. “Someone’s gotta wov the audience aside from the main couple.”

Shiro snorts, guides Keith’s hands to their rightful places for a waltz. “Do you even have a suit?”

“Excuse you, I have a perfectly decent suit,” Keith says and follows Shiro’s slow, music-less steps with grace. “Might be wrinkly as shit though. I kinda shoved it in my suitcase.”

“We’ll iron it tomorrow morning. Should have maybe taken it to the dry cleaners or something. When have you even used it?” Shiro frowns, lets go of Keith. Keith lets go too and sits down on the bed. He shrugs.

“No clue. Maybe some party forever ago.” He eyes Shiro’s packing, as Shiro grabs another couple of shirts and folds them neatly. “Hey, Shiro.”

Shiro hums, eyes focused on his suitcase. When Keith doesn’t answer instantly, Shiro looks up.

Keith’s head is tilted, his expression a little odd. “If at any point either of us start to feel uncomfortable with the pretend intimacy, can we agree to call it off?”

Shiro nods. “Of course.” He straightens, reaches to ruffle Keith’s hair and laugh at the offended squawk. “Honestly, thank you. This helps me so much and I get to go to Cuba with my best friend.”

Keith snorts, swats his hand away. “Best friend? Aww.”

Shiro huffs. “But you are.”

“Aww,” Keith says again, leans back on his elbows to watch Shiro continue to pack. “So you don’t mind that we’re gonna be sharing a bed now? And probably at the resort, from the brochure Allura gave us it looks like every single room has just one bed for two.” Keith exhales, soft. “I get kinda clingy when I sleep. Please don’t roll over me.”

Shiro rubs his heated cheek. Tosses another shirt at Keith. “I quote, I sleep like a corpse, unquote,” Shiro says. “Apparently one of my exes was sure I had died in my sleep before she leaned in to my chest. Apparently I look totally dead when I sleep.”

Keith laughs. “The more I know about you, the more I think you are ridiculous. But you know, in a very good way. Handsome _and_ a dork? Where have you been all my life, fake boyfriend?” He tosses the shirt back at Shiro who grabs it with ease.

“Shut up, you,” Shiro huffs.

Keith doesn’t shut up. He keeps up the teasing for a while until Shiro’s suitcase is full and the bed is finally empty of clothes and notebooks. Keith keeps up the teasing until Shiro gestures for him to follow to Shiro’s tiny kitchen.

“I was thinking,” Shiro starts once Keith has taken out a water bottle and taken a sip and Shiro has started on that night’s dinner. The fridge is mostly empty by then, ready for the week that Shiro’s going to spend away from his apartment. “I prefer to sleep shirtless. Is that okay?”

Keith’s eyebrow rises. Shiro briefly admires its elegant curve before returning his attention to his dinner.

“I’ve seen you shirtless plenty of times, Shiro. And besides, why would I mind when we’re both asleep?”

Shiro chuckles. “You’re right. You can cuddle up to me if you want.” He winks.

Keith goes a little pink and scratches his scalp. “I’m not a cuddler, you idiot.”

Shiro shrugs. “Well, as your fake boyfriend, I would like to cuddle my boyfriend once in a while,” he says. Adds a little pout to it, just to see Keith sigh.

“Fine. We’ll cuddle. But only if it’s cold. Or necessary. Or if you have a nightmare or something,” Keith says and comes to Shiro easily when Shiro waves a spoon in his direction. Keith takes a bite out of the sauce Shiro is making and hums, clearly pleased.

“That makes me think that maybe we should practice. You know. Kissing.  And such. It’s gonna be weird going all cold turkey in it,” Shiro says. He bites his tongue when Keith’s eyebrows shoot towards his hairline. He opens his mouth and closes it. Then clears his throat, even takes a step back.

“I don’t think it’s necessary. It’s just kissing, you know,” Keith huffs. “But fine.” He steps back forward, right when Shiro does so they collide. Both of them chuckle.

“This is weird,” Shiro says, gets his palm on Keith’s cheek. Keith agrees with a huff, before leaning up to kiss Shiro on the mouth, the touch a little too brief to ignite anything. Keith grabs Shiro’s shoulders and tries again, goes for it a little too rough and their teeth clack together. Both end up laughing again, their noses knocking against each other, hands on each other’s shoulders.

“We’re overthinking, I think,” Keith huffs and places both of his warm palms on Shiro’s cheeks. Shiro blinks. He has to agree.

“I just don’t want to make you uncomfortable. Or cross any lines. Too much,” Shiro says with a rueful little grin. He grabs Keith’s wrist, rubs his thumb over Keith’s steady, calm pulse.

“You’re not gonna lose me as a friend even when we kiss like real boyfriends, okay,” Keith says, gently tugs Shiro’s head lower again.

“Your friendship means a lot to me, Keith,” Shiro says but lets himself be guided until their lips meet again. This time their mouths linger against each other for longer: Keith’s lips are a little chapped, Shiro’s own even more but then Keith’s lips move and Shiro has to swallow back an inappropriate noise.

When their lips part with an audible smack, they both take a moment for themselves to catch their breaths.

“Was that okay?” Shiro asks, taking a step back.

Keith meets his eyes and nods. “Just a kiss, right?”

~

 _Just a kiss, indeed,_ Shiro thinks later on once they are getting ready for bed and Keith’s long, long legs are bared for him to see, Keith’s hair free of its usual ponytail.

 _Do I really feel just platonic feelings for Keith? Nah. Can’t be. It’s just my long dry spell. Gotta be._ Shiro bites back the compliment he wants to make of just how pretty he thinks Keith looks with his guard so down and instead just says good night.

Keith yawns and says the same. He burrows himself under Shiro’s extra blanket and falls asleep in a matter of seconds.

Shiro stays on his back and stares up at the ceiling and listens to Keith’s breathing. Shiro’s lips feel tingly and warm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry for the shortness of this chapter again but .. yep. I pondered over making this a slow burn one too but writing slow burn is even more painful than reading it so nah 
> 
> hit me up @ tumblr (soundlessrooms) or under the comments here if you have suggestions, reviews, requests of what you would like to see / what sort of rom-com tropes you would like to see our boys go through! 
> 
> Also as you've probably noticed, I put up a somewhat estimated amount of chapters... I don't know really if my plans really carry me as far as 15 but yep. This will be a lot shorter than text me maybe as there are way less hurdles for our boys to go through. 
> 
> but anyways. Writing platonic Sheith is super-weird lmao I can't wait to start writing them as a couple


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gang travels to Cuba.

Shiro lets Keith sleep until nine in the morning. Despite the fact that they had only been friends for a short while, it had already been made quite clear that Keith is the opposite of a morning person. So Shiro goes for his morning run, does his morning stretches and push-ups, drinks his protein shakes and wonders how Keith likes his coffee. That’s the sort of a thing that boyfriends tend to know of each other, right?

Shiro had seen Keith enough of times at their usual café to know that Keith likes his coffee cream-filled and sweet. So Shiro takes a gamble and makes a cup, even makes a sandwich of the things he supposes Keith could like.

Damn. Maybe they should have talked about this more. Learned more about each other.

But then Keith shuffles to the kitchen, bleary-eyed and messy-haired and Shiro’s doubts and fears are pushed to the side.

“Good morning, sleepyhead,” he says with a snort and pushes the coffee mug to Keith’s outstretched hands.

“Mmmorrnnign,” says the Keith-shaped zombie. He slurps down half of the mug in one go and consequently coughs. “Hhhot,” he manages.

Shiro pats his shoulder and takes the mug away from him. “Sit down, Keith. I’ll make breakfast. You can’t just live on cereal for the rest of your life.”

“I can try,” Keith murmurs but takes a seat by Shiro’s tiny, sad dining table made for two. “Also cereal is healthy.”

“Not when it’s all sugar and carbs,” Shiro huffs. He has to bite back a smile at the way Keith glowers at him. “Don’t worry, I won’t force you drink one of my disgusting, healthy smoothies for breakfast. Eggs good for you?”

Keith nods. He reaches for the coffee mug and takes another sip, letting out a soft groan of pleasure. “Nothing like the first cup of coffee of the day to wake me the fuck up.”

Shiro snickers as he cracks a couple of eggs in a bowl and whisks them, adding a few spices. “There’s oatmeal in the fridge too and some berries. Please have some.”

“Such a protective and caring boyfriend I have,” Keith says. Thankfully Shiro has his back turned so Keith doesn’t see the way his cheeks colour.

“I’m not doing this because we’re gonna be fake dating. I just do this because you’re my friend, Keith.”

Keith snorts. “I know. Just teasing you.”

But Keith’s own ears are a little pink when Shiro glances back at him. Keith pours himself more coffee. Shiro makes the eggs. He plates them, pushes both in front of Keith as well as a small bowl of oatmeal.

“Please?”

Keith eyes the oatmeal suspiciously. “Fine. Your puppy eyes work terrifyingly well, big guy.” He digs in with a spoon.

Shiro smiles.

Their pleasant morning slowly drifts towards a less pleasant midday when they take a taxi to the airport and spend the entirety of the car ride chatting in low voices. Keith’s knee has started to bounce up and down. Shiro, unthinking, places a heavy palm on it and murmurs for him to calm down. Instead Keith goes silent and nods, his ears rather adorably pink.

 _Must be the nerves,_ Shiro thinks. He withdraws his hand when the taxi turns towards the terminal’s main entrance; the building itself the one where they are supposed to meet both Allura and Pidge and a couple of other friends.

“You can just drop us off here,” Shiro says and digs out his wallet. Keith does the same. For a moment they dispute over who pays and decide on just splitting the fare as both had decided to bring equal amounts of cash with them.

“Fuck, I’m nervous,” Keith says once they have gotten their bags and entered the airport terminal. It’s not the people that make him nervous, Shiro is sure of it but what’s waiting for them further inside.

“It’ll be fine,” Shiro says and wraps his free arm around Keith’s shoulders. “You’re not…” Shiro licks his lips, gives Keith a nudge so Keith looks up at him. “Do you want to back out? I wouldn’t hold it against you, you know.”

Keith stares at him for a moment before shaking his head. “Nah. Besides, this was my suggestion in the first place. And you want to eat delicious food and get nice massages, don’t you?” He elbows Shiro. Shiro has to laugh.

“Well. I can’t deny the call of food ever.”

Keith snorts. “Not that it shows on you.” He pokes Shiro’s stomach, the abs solid and hard underneath Shiro’s shirt, his jacket hanging open off his shoulders.

Shiro flushes. “Oh, shut it.”

Keith pokes him again.

They engage in a brief poking war and Shiro is glad to see Keith smile and maybe momentarily forget about his nerves.

“It’s just Ali. I’ve known her forever. She’ll be nice,” Shiro says finally as they make their way further in. Shiro taps on his phone to see Allura’s message- _We’re by the Starbucks <3 <3_\- and feels Keith’s shoulders shake as his giggles quiet down.

“You know, it’s real hardship to pretend that my boyfriend is this tall, ridiculously muscled, super-nice dude. I don’t know how I can handle this,” Keith whispers, nudging Shiro’s stomach once more with an elbow.

“Stop it. I just like going to the gym,” Shiro huffs and pinches Keith’s cheek in retaliation. Keith makes a face at him and swats his hand away.

They make their way through people towards the only Starbucks in town, their hands brushing against each other.

Just when the Starbucks-logo appears over the crowd, Keith tugs on Shiro’s sleeve and they stop.

“You’ll be fine,” Shiro says.

“It’s not that,” Keith says. He bites his lip and Shiro doesn’t resolutely focus on it. “It’s just… should we hold hands?”

Shiro blinks. “Oh. Right. Maybe? Yes?” He licks his own lips, clenches his prosthetic hand into a fist before opening his palm again. He switches hand so that he’s pulling his bag with his prosthetic, offering his other hand to Keith.

Keith sighs. “Honestly, it’s ridiculous to be this nervous but it’s like. What if I forget what we’re supposed to be like and act like? What if you forget?”

 _I don’t think I could._ “It’s gonna be fine, Keith,” Shiro says gently and marvels at the way their palms fit together, their fingers intertwined as they continue to walk, hand in hand.

“Your optimism should be irritating but instead I find myself inspired. What are you doing to me, Shiro,” Keith huffs, nudges Shiro again with an elbow.

“Good things, I hope,” Shiro says and takes the lead in finding their friends. Keith’s answer is lost when they spot Allura’s white hair, the woman it belongs to chattering cheerfully to four others on her table.

Shiro gives Keith’s hand another comforting squeeze and then shouts Allura’s name. Allura’s head snaps up instantly, her eyes widen.

“Shiro!” She’s grinning widely by the time Shiro has dragged Keith to the table. Allura’s hands are on her hips, her elegant eyebrow raised as she looks at their joined hands and takes in Keith’s appearance. To Keith’s credit, he takes the stare with surprising ease, even tilts his chin up like expecting a challenge. Shiro huffs, releases Keith’s hand but only to wrap an arm around his shoulders.

“Down, boy,” Shiro murmurs. Keith’s cheeks colour.

Allura giggles. “I guess I don’t have to even ask if you’re the one I think you are.”

“I’ve seen you on his Facebook,” Keith says, shuffles his feet. Shiro shifts his arm so that it covers Keith more protectively, his fingers brushing Keith’s neck. Keith’s pulse is rapid.

“I haven’t seen you on his Facebook,” Allura says. “Or any social media anyway. Not that anything new as this guy here barely knows how to operate a computer in the first place.”

Shiro snorts. “To a certified genius like you, I probably do seem like a caveman. Come on, Keith, I’ll introduce you to the others.”

“Sorryyy,” Allura chitters but she hops back to her seat and her colourful drink that’s hopefully not coffee as she’s bouncy enough without it. The usually elegant lady-like Allura is nowhere to be seen today but then again, she’s never looked this happy. The cause of that happiness sitting crosslegged on her chair, tapping on a tablet.

“Katie,” Shiro says, leading Keith to her first.

“It’s Pidge and you know it,” Pidge says and pushes her glasses up her nose. Her inquisitive stare turns towards Keith. “And you’re Shiro’s mystery man. Not really surprised he kept you a secret for this long, that man’s built like a brick wall. And I don’t just mean how absurdly tall he is.”

“I’m normal sized,” Shiro mutters but he’s mostly ignored. Keith elbows him gently.

“Nice to meet you, Pidge. Congrats on the wedding,” Keith says then. Pidge shrugs but the sternness slips from her face when Allura sits next to her and pecks her on the cheek.

“Thanks. I’m pretty happy myself,” Pidge says and turns to give Allura a real kiss.

“I’m also happy when I can snatch her away from her tablet for one second,” Allura huffs and pokes Pidge’s cheek. Pidge sticks out her tongue.

Shiro’s hand slips again around Keith, this time around his waist. “Let’s leave them to it, babe,” Shiro murmurs, quiet enough so that only Keith hears.

Keith huffs, bites hard on his lip.  “Pfft,” is all he manages as they turn to face the other two who have so far been into their own conversation and who Shiro doesn’t really know that well. Aside from the fact that Lance is Allura’s brother and engaged to his childhood friend Hunk and that the latter is a magnificent cook.

“Uhm,” Shiro says. Lance has thrown his legs over Hunk’s lap and is slurping noisily at a coffee drink with some obnoxious long name. Hunk waves and offers a friendly smile.

“Hey, Shiro. And uh…?”

“Yeah, uh,” Lance says and puts the half-empty drink on the table. He smirks. “Mister Certified Single Man is finally thigh to thigh with someone, huh? What’s your name, pretty boy?”

Keith frowns. Shiro feels his slender muscles tense. “Lance, please don’t aggravate Keith the instant I try to introduce him to you guys,” Shiro mutters.

“Ohh,” Hunk says. “This is Keith! Nice to meet ya, man! Just ignore Lance; I’ll keep him in check during the trip.” He smiles brightly and Keith answers it. Even reaches forward to shake Hunk’s hand.

Shiro rolls his eyes, unable to help the fond smile that spreads when he nudges for Keith to take a seat. They both sit down, their thighs pressed together.

“So, guys, shouldn’t we get going soon?” Shiro says, taking Keith’s hand between his. Keith’s hand is awfully cold and clammy and he’s again biting his lip.

“Mmhm, in a minute,” Allura says, munching down the rest of her large cookies. She wipes away a crumb from her mouth with a thumb and practically glows with pleasure. “I need to go to the restroom. You guys should probably start dragging our luggage towards our gate, right? Don’t worry guys, everything’s fine, we checked in online so it’s all good. Anyway! I’ll be just a minute!”

“She’ll take like an half an hour so I wouldn’t hurry,” Pidge says once Allura has stood up and headed towards the restrooms.

Shiro snorts. Keith elbows him.

“Gotta take care of that luscious mane of hers,” Lance remarks from the side, having not moved an inch from his previous position. He’s showing something from his phone to Hunk who guffaws. Shiro wonders if he’ll get to know those two better during the trip too.

Then again, maybe Shiro’s days are going to be filled with nothing but Keith. Not that Shiro minds. He’s brought back from his thoughts by a nudge to his ribs.

“Hmm?”

“You have your thinking face on,” Keith whispers. “You cool?”

Shiro gives his hand a squeeze and offers what he hopes is his most comforting smile. “Yeah. More than. Just thinking about the trip.”

“Everything’s gonna be fine. That’s what you always say,” Keith huffs. He leans, kisses Shiro’s jaw like it’s the most natural thing to do and Shiro feels blood rush to his cheeks.

Lance coos. Hunk clears his throat politely.

Allura returns just in time to see them actually stand up and gather their bags and suitcases. They toss some of them to luggage claim and dig out their various passports and tickets as they head off towards the gate.

There’s no time for conversations or questions at the hurry to make it to their assigned seats or when they manage to put their purses to where they belong but then-

“So, Keith,” Lance starts as the plane’s motors start to purr around them. Lance and Hunk had taken the seats across from Keith and Shiro, with Allura and Pidge in front. Shiro had taken the window-side, knowing that Keith isn’t fond of flying. Their hands are clasped together.

“So, Lance,” Keith huffs. His face looks startlingly pale, his grip on Shiro’s hand a little too rough.

“You guys are kinda sweet together,” Lance says. He’s grinning. “How did you two meet? I think I remember sis telling me you had told her about meeting some dude on a train but let’s hear your side of the story!”

Hunk opens his mouth from his seat, but then closes it when Keith actually seems to ponder over the question.

Shiro turns his gaze to his friends. “We’re gonna be on this trip for a week, Lance. Don’t you think you have time for questions later? Let Keith settle in first.”

“No, it’s fine,” Keith says. “Don’t baby me, Shiro.”

“But I love calling you baby,” Shiro whispers.

Keith snorts but his cheeks are very red. He turns towards Lance and opens his mouth but right at that moment the plane starts to move.

“Hey, buddy, it’s okay,” Shiro murmurs and strokes Keith’s hand with his thumb. Keith grits his teeth and clears his throat.

“Anyway,” he says, a little unnecessarily loud. Lance raises an eyebrow, still clearly curious. “This guy rescued me from some douchebags trying to harass me on the night train,” Keith says, throwing a slightly strained smile in Shiro’s direction. Shiro smiles back.

“Not that you didn’t look like you could handle them yourself, but you know me. A pretty boy in trouble-“ Shiro laughs when Keith gently swats his face.

Lance snorts. “How did he rescue you? swooped in like a prince on a white horse and beat them up, yeah?”

Shiro huffs. “Lance.” Keith takes Shiro’s hand between his own and squeezes it tight.

“He uhm. He pretended to be my boyfriend.”

Shiro’s cheeks colour.

“For real?” Lance’s eyes have widened. “Oh my god, Shiro, you smooth criminal, you!”

Shiro sighs. “It’s just the first thing that popped into my head,” he says. “Before I even thought about things like that maybe a stranger doesn’t like well, other strangers coming up so close to them but I tried to be nice about it and-“

Keith snorts. “It’s fine, you dork. I was surprised but come on, have you seen you?” He gives Shiro’s hand a kiss.

“So, you’re with me only for my looks, is it?” Shiro says, pecks Keith’s temple.

“Damn right,” Keith snorts and kisses Shiro’s jaw right back. Both of their cheeks are hot, their hands clammy against each other. Both look back at Lance who coos and makes a heart with his hands.

“So fucking cute,” Lance says and turns back to Hunk then, apparently satisfied.

Keith slumps instantly against Shiro’s shoulder and sighs. “Was that too much?” Keith whispers against Shiro’s ear. The plane purrs around them, softly lifting them up into the air.

“Never knew you could be so cuddly, dear Keith,” Shiro murmurs back and offers Keith a piece of gum as their ears pop from the pressure.

“Better to play it up than down,” Keith mutters. Despite his words, he keeps holding Shiro’s hand until the stewardess comes to ask if they want anything to drink or eat.

They get shots of whiskey each and some nuts, claiming that it’s better that they eat properly once they land.

Shiro makes a face when he downs the shot. Keith groans out loud. They’re both aware of Lance snickering.

“Weaklings,” Lance says. He orders a shot for himself while Hunk abstains, choosing instead to sleep.

Both Shiro and Keith watch as Lance downs the shot the pretty stewardess brings.

Lance grimaces as he downs the shot and manages a bright grin. “Fuck, that hits the spot. You feeling any better now, Keithy boy?”

Keith blinks. His hands are no longer clutching Shiro for their dear life, although Shiro has kindly wrapped his arm around Keith’s shoulders. Shiro kisses Keith’s temple again.

“Somewhat. Don’t call me that, Lancelot,” Keith huffs and turns away. His skin feels hot under Shiro’s hand and mouth.

“How are you feeling, baby?” Shiro asks, nuzzling Keith’s temple.

Keith shifts so that he can whisper his answer as quietly as he can: “I’m so fucking nervous and anxious I might die if you let go. So don’t fucking let go. Also stop calling me baby, it’s distracting.”

Shiro pouts when Keith withdraws. Keith pinches his cheek. “Shut up.”

“I didn’t say anything,” Shiro says and steals a kiss, from Keith’s mouth this time.

Keith’s cheeks are pink. “Still.”

“By the way, let’s take a selfie together when we land. It’s going to be cute,” Shiro murmurs, giving Keith a gentle nudge until Keith is leaning heavily against him.

“Only because you’re cute for such a buff guy,” Keith mutters.

“Hey, us buff guys can be pretty damn cute if we want to,” Shiro huffs and kisses the top of his head. If it’s more out of obligation to appear as real boyfriends or just genuine affection, he can’t really say.

They both settle a little more comfortably to their seats then and close their eyes. Shiro doesn’t mean to sleep, but maybe it’s Keith’s company and the whiskey doing its thing and he’s soon drifting off, only to snap awake when the plane jolts, the noise of the motors a little louder. Keith snores softly next to him, face smushed against Shiro’s shoulder.

Shiro bites his lip. He takes out his phone- on airplane mode, naturally- and snaps a picture of the sleeping Keith, feeling his cheeks flush from sheer shamelessness of the act. He thinks about the lines he hadn’t wanted to cross.

Do they even exist now?

He peers out of the window, stroking Keith’s shoulder. He only sees clouds for a moment, the weather suitably bright but then they start to descend.

“Oh, damn,” Shiro murmurs and squints, nose pressed against the glass. His writhing and squirming wakes up Keith who yawns, then shifts to peer out of the window too. When Shiro shifts his arm to move it away, Keith tugs it back around himself.

“It’s like looking down at a toy box,” Keith remarks and sits back down. His voice cracks a bit.

“It’s gonna be fine,” Shiro says, not certain what he even means. He just wants that strained look on Keith’s face to be gone.

It’s gone when their eyes meet and Keith kisses his cheek. “Stop saying that, dorkface,” Keith huffs. “I might start believing it.”

“I hope you do,” Shiro snorts and together they buckle up their seatbelts when the light turns on. Shiro grabs Keith’s hand again when Keith starts grinding his teeth and talks to him in a low voice, tells him what they’re going to do once they land: tells him about all the kisses they are going to share and how much Keith is going to blush.

Now that gets Keith to glower. “You flush more than me, big guy,” he huffs.

Shiro flushes. “Shut up.” He takes his chance when the plane finally lands to press himself against Keith’s back and kiss him on the neck.

It’s totally worth the glower and the hushed gasp and Lance’s snickers when Keith’s neck turns adorably red.

Their hands slip against each other once more, their fingers slotting through each other as they make their way out of the plane and towards luggage claim.

“These two kept cuddling even more than me and Hunk and that’s pretty damn huge,” Lance says. “Too bad you two were sleeping through the entire journey and didn’t see how cute they were.” He waggles his eyebrows at Allura and Pidge, who both yawn in unison.

“Traveling makes me sleepy,” Pidge huffs.

“Just leave the lovebirds alone, lovebirds,” Allura says gently. But she winks at Shiro when she says that and Shiro rolls his eyes fondly.

It’s going to be some trip with these people: add some interesting relatives and friends to that and Shiro is feeling his own nerves creeping up on him.

He just hopes nothing will happen to make Keith want to bail on him. Shiro kind of likes being this close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i realize shiro's being dumb and oblivious but let's face it, sometimes people are dumb and oblivious when it comes to people closest to them.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry if you ever expected this fic to be anything but Marshmallows and Cute Puppies and Shiro's Smile. Sometimes a person just needs some good ol' fluff.

The resort’s inn they’re staying at is clearly old and seen many guests and many, many years. Its very walls seem to vibrate in the evening heat, containing both hundreds upon hundreds of stories of its visitors as well as a ragtag group of twenty-somethings, most of them well on their way in getting tipsy in the downstairs bar.

Shiro remains sober, more out of the need to watch over both his own and Keith’s mouths. They had earlier gotten their rooms- all of them with only one bed obviously, just large enough for two people- and changed their clothes for some evening drinks.

They had then met up with Pidge’s brother Matt and his fiancée, as well as a slew of other relatives and friends who neither Shiro or Keith can name: most of them staying elsewhere.

Now Shiro sits on the biggest couch, Keith leaning against him; heavy but warm and adorably pink-cheeked. They’re both listening to one of Allura’s many cousins telling a rowdy tale, inappropriate for underaged ears- thankfully none present- that leaves most of them giggling like a group of caffeine-addled children instead of grown people.

“We’re doing pretty good, Shiro,” Keith murmurs suddenly, squirming a bit until he reaches a position he’s comfortable with. He tugs Shiro’s arm tighter around himself and plays with Shiro’s fingers. “Wouldn’t you say?”

Shiro merely hums, tugs Keith better under his arm, Shiro’s chin against the top of Keith’s head. “Told you there was no need to be so nervous,” Shiro murmurs. He kisses Keith’s hair and has to grin when Keith shifts and his strands tickle Shiro’s nose.

They both look up when they hear the unmistakable click of a camera.

Allura lowers her phone, obviously flustered. “You two just look so sweet. Sorry. I’ll delete it,” she says, takes a quick sip of her beer.

“It’s fine,” Keith murmurs. “Just send it to us, please. I kinda wanna see how messy I look right now.” He snorts.

Shiro huffs. “Like you could look anything but beautiful, baby,” he says. It’s so startlingly easy to say these things, the petnames rolling off his tongue with the same casual grace as Keith’s name.

It helps that the tips of Keith’s ears go so cutely pink when Shiro calls him baby or darling or holds him close like this.

Shiro kisses the top of his head again.

Keith huffs. “Flattery will get you nowhere, mister Shirogane,” he says and removes Shiro’s arm from around himself, sitting up. Keith sways a bit but he meets Shiro’s gaze head-on. Shiro’s heart flutters. Keith’s lips are parted. “Don’t’ look at me like that, Shiro,” Keith says, rubs his face.

(On the couch next to them, Hunk slaps a hand over Lance’s mouth. One of the cousins sitting close to them- Maria or Marie- hides her grin. “Should we remind them that we’re still here?”)

“I don’t know what you mean,” Shiro says and flashes a grin. Keith sticks out his tongue at him but shifts closer so that they sitting face to face. Shiro opens his arms and Keith lets him wrap one around his shoulders again. They both twitch when their phones clink in their pockets.

“Sorry, moodkiller,” Allura giggles and tugs Pidge closer to her so they can kiss, as noisy and as messy as possible, leaving Pidge’s glasses askew and Allura’s hair escaping her otherwise perfectly made bun.

“Eww,” Lance says loudly. “Seeing your own sister making out with her fiancée, ewwwwwwww- come on, my Hunky bunny, we can’t stay second- but maybe we should head up to our room-“ he yanks Hunk down by his shirt and kisses him on the mouth, swallows down Hunk’s laughter. They don’t kiss for long before Lance seems to think of something else; his gaze turning to Shiro and Keith.

Keith squints at him. “What.”

Shiro sighs. “Lance, we’re not gonna kiss in front of you guys just because you’re a pervert-“

Lance pouts. “Just a peck? A little peck?”

Shiro pecks Keith’s forehead. When Lance makes a disgruntled sound, Shiro huffs and grabs Keith’s chin, tilts it up. Keith opens his mouth to say something, to protest or anything but Shiro gently pushes their mouths together.

Keith makes a little sound at the back of his throat, his hand curling around Shiro’s bicep. They withdraw to the sound of coos and the snap of a camera phone.

Shiro rolls his eyes. “Just don’t go posting it everywhere, Lance.” Shiro lets Keith press his face against Shiro’s shoulder and exhale.

“Aww, never took Keith for a shy guy,” Lance cackles. “Then again, I’ve known you for like a day but still. Awww.”

“Maybe it’s the alcohol,” Shiro murmurs and cards his fingers through Keith’s hair. “Hey, baby, you wanna go back to our room?”

Lance wolf-whistles.

Keith flips him the middle finger- or tries, aiming it somewhere behind himself. Shiro’s laughter is soft.

“I think he’s too drunk to be able to do anything. I think I’ll just tuck this guy to bed and go for a jog myself.”

Shiro helps Keith off the couch and towards the elevators, waving various goodbyes to the people present. Keith nuzzles Shiro’s neck, their arms around each other’s waists. They both hear the coos that follow them and another loud wolf-whistle obviously from Lance because it’s followed by a swat and “Goddammit, sis, why are you so fucking violent!”

Once the elevator-doors close on Shiro and Keith, Keith withdraws from Shiro and sighs.

“You okay?” Shiro asks and crosses his arms.

Keith runs a hand through his hair and meets Shiro’s eyes. Keith is apparently way less drunk than he showed back at the table. “Yeah. Just kind of. They’re very all over the place, aren’t they?”

Shiro huffs. “I figured you’d want some time alone soon enough. I hope the kiss wasn’t what made you uncomfortable.”

Keith shifts. This time he nibbles on his lip. “Nah.” He smiles, a little too bright to be completely genuine but Shiro leaves it be and answers it with one of his own. “We make a pretty good pair of fake boyfriends, wouldn’t you say?”

Shiro’s smile twitches. “Yeah. We do. Now, it’s our floor. Come on then, boyfriend.”

Keith elbows him but then links their arms as they make their way out of the elevator and into their room. Keith yawns, Shiro stretches his arms.

“If you wanna sleep, go ahead. I’m gonna go for that jog,” Shiro says and pats Keith’s shoulder. His hand remains there for a heartbeat too long, Keith’s gaze dropping to it; his eyelashes tickling his high cheekbones. Shiro is oddly aware of his friend’s enthralling beauty, oddly aware of his own want to cup Keith’s face and kiss him again. This time without someone looking.

“Yeah, fine. I’m gonna take a shower and sleep. Just don’t rumble around too much when you come back,” Keith says and offers a grin. He locks himself in the bathroom and for a moment Shiro just stands there, wondering why his heart stuttered just now.

Was it that unfamiliar vulnerability on Keith’s face? The press of Keith’s weight against him?

Shiro shakes his head, shakes those thoughts out of his head. Keith is his friend, nothing more, nothing less. It’s nothing new to notice how pretty your friend is, right?

Shiro changes into sweatpants and a tank and digs his running shoes out of his still half-full suitcase. He just barely remembers the keycard to their room as he leaves.

The heat of the evening curls around him like a warm embrace as he finally makes his way outside. For a moment Shiro just takes it in, lets the air flow through him and erase everything that bothers him.

He starts to run and begins to focus on nothing but his body, his brain growing blissfully empty of nothing but the run- at least until some time. Then his brain begins to push thoughts of Keith his way: Keith laughing, Keith’s cheeks flushed, Keith irritated, Keith happy, Keith’s lips so curious and soft against Shiro’s own.

“What the hell, man,” Shiro huffs as he stops. He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. He pinches the bridge of his nose and frowns. _I don’t like Keith romantically. It’s this fake boyfriend-thing. And we just started. It’s fine. It’s completely fine._

He finishes his jog with some trepidation and makes his way back to their hotel room.

“Keith?” Shiro whispers. The room is dark. Shiro toes off his shoes and steps in, biting back a smile when he sees the lump on the bed, a tuft of dark hair the only evidence that Keith has burrowed himself deep under the blankets: no matter how warm the room actually is.

Shiro peels off his sweaty shirt and sweats and sneaks off to the bathroom to give himself a quick wash. He ponders over boxers or briefs and decides on a pair of red boxers. The shirts he leaves for tomorrow. Besides, Keith had said he doesn’t mind.

Shiro is still careful when he sneaks underneath the same blanket and dares to barely breathe as he watches his eyes get used to the dark to see Keith’s face, half of it smushed against the pillow. Shiro shifts closer and gives that smushed nose a tiny kiss. Keith huffs in his sleep.

Shiro closes his eyes but can’t quite fall asleep immediately: not when his lips can’t seem to stop smiling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i still have not been released from persona 5-hell


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> life is no longer worth living because Persona 5 is the best game i have ever played and it's over now 
> 
> all the other games I should play: what about me   
> me: but holy shit persona 5...... how can anything compare ever....

The first morning at the resort Keith wakes up to a lonely, overwarm bed. He finds Shiro downstairs at the hotel restaurant, his t-shirt displaying some superhero-logo and his hair messy. They greet each other with a kiss on each other’s cheeks and proceed to meet with their companions and eat some breakfast.

The second morning at the resort Keith wakes up sweaty, head tugged rather comfortably under Shiro’s chin. Shiro is, on all accounts, deep asleep.

Keith stills, wondering on his next move. If he moves from Shiro’s way too warm and way too heavy embrace will Shiro wake up? It might make things awkward between them.

A sweatdrop trickles down Keith’s spine and he kind of hopes he hadn’t worn a shirt to bed at all- no matter how awkward it is to be next to Shiro who is like a Greek God carved from stone on a good day and way above other mortal men on a bad one.

“Shiro,” Keith tries to whisper, to push away the heavy arm from around his waist. Shiro sighs in his sleep, deep and content and merely clutches tighter.

“Shiro,” Keith says again, startled by how whiny he sounds.

Shiro doesn’t open his eyes but his grip loosens. “Warm,” he murmurs. His fingers have slipped underneath Keith’s flimsy tank and have begun to gently stroke at the warm skin.

“Too warm,” Keith huffs but apparently Shiro had been murmuring in his sleep because his breathing evens out once more and his eyes don’t open. Keith’s heart flutters at the sight of his friend’s peaceful face. “You’re lucky you’re handsome,” Keith says and gently pinches Shiro’s cheek before starting to withdraw. Shiro’s grip has grown lax enough that withdrawing is easier for Keith who finally finds himself standing on his own two feet.

The room sways in his eyes a little so he rubs them. His head reminds him what he had been up to last night- exactly how many of those colourful drinks he had downed again? why did he think that drinking for god knows how many evenings in a row with Lance and Allura was a good idea?- with a helpful wave of nausea so he closes his eyes for a second and just focuses on breathing. The nausea soon passes and Keith can open his eyes once more. He squints at the ray of sunlight determinedly peeking through the gap in the heavy curtains so he goes to it and parts them, just enough to see.

“Oh man,” he says when the view shows itself to him. The sparkling, idyllic ocean and the beach spreading into eternity, the sun already climbing higher to chase away every single shadow. “Shiro, did you see this view already?” Keith’s smiling before he knows it, a palm pressed against the glass.

The sheets rustle and Shiro’s unmistakable rumble of laughter is heard. “As you might recall, we were pretty busy when we came to actually check it out. But yes, I did.”

Keith turns to look at him. Shiro is lying on his side, his chin resting on his palm and watching Keith. Somehow, that gentle gaze feels warmer than the sun.

Keith shifts. “Well excuse me, I’ve been busy.”

Shiro snorts. “Never took you for such a partier, boyfriend.”

Keith’s cheeks flush. “Shut up. You don’t need to call me that when it’s just the two of us.” He turns his gaze back to the sunlit sea and thus misses the downturn of Shiro’s mouth. “Oh, right, I was gonna take a shower. But holy shit this view is beautiful.”

“Indeed,” Shiro says. He’s still smiling when Keith glances at him. And still looking at Keith.

“Stop it,” Keith huffs and stomps to the bathroom, Shiro’s chuckles following him.

~

“You know, Keith, can I talk to you for a sec?” Pidge is holding her tablet protectively against her chest and her eyes are surrounded by dark circles but those same eyes are peering at Keith rather intensively.

Keith glances back at where Shiro is deep in conversation with what looks like a bunch of Allura’s relatives, all deep in preparations for the wedding and after-ceremonies. “Uh, yes?” Keith scratches his temple and lets Pidge lead the way to a more private corner.

Pidge’s gaze is inquisitive as she tilts her head to look at Keith. For a moment she’s silent, and then she hums.

“I realize we don’t really know each other just yet but I know Shiro. Are you two really dating?”

Keith’s eyes widen momentarily before he controls himself. He crosses his arms. “What’s this about? Of course we’re dating.” His heart stutters. _What the hell?_

Pidge squints at him. Then she sighs. “Sorry. It’s just. I’ve seen this before. Both Ali and I have. Shiro tends to fall so hard and we’ve nursed his broken heart enough times to just- and you’re an unknown.” She avoids his gaze now, shifting her weight from one foot to another.

Keith tugs his hands into the pockets of his shorts. “I sympathize, you know, but it’s kind of rude to just corner me like this, Pidge.” His cheeks flush. Shiro calls him baby more than Keith’s actual name. Shiro cuddles with him, Shiro kisses with such fierce passion when they’re in front of the others that Keith doesn’t quite know how to be. Shiro is the kindest, sweetest, most beautiful person Keith has ever had the privilege of meeting. “I don’t… know if it’s love just yet but. I don’t go out with just about anyone.”

“I’ve gotten the impression that you’re pretty private,” Pidge says. She has a tiny crooked grin on her face now so Keith lets his shoulders relax.

Keith’s cheeks still feel hot. He crosses his arms again.

Pidge meets his eyes this time and her grin softens into a small smile. “Shiro looks at you like you created the world, Keith.”

Keith’s face burns. The momentary panic about Pidge finding out the truth is washed away by the realization that yes, Shiro does look at Keith like something precious. Even when it’s just the two of them.

Could it be?

“Your face is so red. You okay there, buddy?” Pidge is smirking now, one eyebrow cocked.

Keith huffs. “Shut up. I just don’t- I’m not used to talking about Shiro like this. We’ve only been together for so little that it’s all so new.” He glances around himself in distress, looks back at where Shiro is: Shiro has thrown his head back and is laughing, his guffaws loud enough that they reach Keith’s ears.

Keith just melts at the sight, hand rising to his chest to clutch his shirt. His heart thumps, his palms go clammy, and his mouth goes dry. Keith watches Shiro’s hand brush back strands from his face, that same face still smiling and grinning.

And then Shiro looks at Keith. And blows a kiss.

Keith lets out a startled giggle and pretends to catch it. Shiro makes a heart with his hands. Keith rubs his face with his palms and startles when he hears the telltale click of a camera phone.

“You didn’t, Pidge!”

Pidge shrugs. “Sorry. Since me and Ali are not the only lovey-dovey couple, might as well just tease the shit out of both of you.” She taps her tablet a few times then turns it so Keith can see.

His own face, stuck in mid-laugh, cheeks red, one hand clutching a fistful of shirt and other hand in mid-grab. His own face, his own expression doing something that can only be called adoring.

Keith groans as his cheeks heat up again. “What the hell.”

Pidge snickers. “I’ll send it to Shiro, just wa-“ Keith makes a grab for her tablet, she dodges swiftly.

“Don’t send it, he doesn’t need to see more proof how fucking lovestruck I am – I mean- I- shit- Pidge!”

Pidge is laughing out loud now, she keeps dodging Keith. “Fuck me but you two are adorable, I’m sorry I doubted you, holy shit, I’m so sending that pic to Shiro-“ she’s slippery, her tablet clutched tightly against her chest as she breaks out in a run. Keith follows, laughter threatening to break out despite of his embarrassment.

He makes the mistake of looking at Shiro’s direction: Shiro blows him another kiss and Keith nearly trips on his own feet.

Later on, when Shiro asks and they are again in their room, Keith will say it’s just because the ground was slippery. Not at all because of Shiro.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry my chapters are very short but my brain is just so fried


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some things get a little hot and heavy in the obligatory bath-scene. The boys question their feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the world's atm super exhausting but here's another chap!

The cathedral where Allura and Pidge are going to have their wedding ceremony is one of those grand old ones: the kind with sky-high spires and architecture from the turn of a century. Shiro and Keith join the rest of the group for some sight-seeing and wedding practice but mostly hang at the back or help around with the little things.

They’re never too far gone from each other’s side.

Pidge had sent the offending picture to Shiro and Shiro had never afterwards stopped teasing his “boyfriend” about it. No matter how much Keith dodges the gentle pokes, he can’t escape Shiro’s arms or the kisses pressed against every inch of skin that Shiro can reach; and with Shiro’s height and reach, there’s not much left hidden.

That picture is the current background to Shiro’s phone. That’s one fact he doesn’t share with Keith, although the adorable embarrassment on Keith’s face might make it worthwhile- still. Shiro prefers to keep one thing a secret.

He corners Keith outside of the cathedral, just within sights of the rest of their group and kisses him fully on the mouth.

“You-“ a kiss, “are-“ another kiss, “the cutest, baby,” Shiro murmurs, delights in the way Keith laughs, rather helplessly trapped between Shiro and the wall.

“You are so fucking ridiculous,” Keith huffs and playfully shoves Shiro and Shiro shifts away, hands up, his smile widening into a grin.   
“And you’re blushing,” Shiro says and throws in what he hopes is a flirty wink for good measure. His insides bubble up with happiness, his skin flushed and warm from being near Keith.

_I like him. I like him so much. I like him. Of course I do, he’s my friend but-_

Keith flips him off. Shiro laughs. Glances around them to see that they’re being watched: Allura throws a thumbs up so Shiro grabs Keith by the waist and kisses his cheeks and his nose, dodges his lips until Keith growls and takes the initiative himself. Keith’s fingers scratch Shiro’s scalp, Shiro’s own wander underneath Keith’s shirt and once more Shiro gives him a push until Keith is once more pressed against the wall.

Only the loud wolf-whistles snap both of them out of their reverie. Keith’s hands are still on Shiro’s hair, Shiro’s hands still under Keith’s shirt when they turn to look. Lance is making a vulgar hand gesture and yelling something about them being the cutest fucking couple he’s ever seen, aside from Lance himself and Hunk, obviously- that earns a smack from his sister.

“Sorry,” Shiro says, right at the same time when Keith says the same. “Lost myself for a sec there,” Shiro murmurs but doesn’t pull his hands away.

Keith nibbles on his own lip, lowering his hands to Shiro’s shoulders. Keith gives them a little squeeze. “Heat of the moment, right?”

“Mmhm.” And just because Shiro can, he pecks Keith’s nose. It brings out the most adorable disgruntled noise from Keith; then uncertainty returns to that beautiful, handsome face.

Shiro cups his face and kisses him again, just because he can. Just because Keith smells so good, tastes so good and Shiro can freely call him boyfriend and baby and watch Keith squirm and blush and answer his kisses with equal ferocity and cuddle up next to him when they go to sleep and –

 _Oh._ Shiro stills, even breaks the kiss.

Keith’s lips are parted, his hands around Shiro’s wrists. His eyes are very wide. He’s exquisite like this and Shiro’s insides burn with the knowledge that he wants to keep doing this. This, kissing and touching and being with Keith and seeing Keith laugh, seeing Keith cry, seeing Keith live. Not just faking being boyfriends.

The fake-part is where Shiro’s brain gets stuck on, it bothers him, somewhat.

“Maybe I should marry you and make this wedding ours, instead,” Shiro says instead of voicing his thoughts. It’s worth of it to see the tenseness slide away from Keith, to feel Keith shove Shiro away.

“You’re so embarrassing, you idiot,” Keith huffs but he’s red all the way to his ears and Shiro bites back a grin.

It’s only when Keith turns to go back to the others that Shiro lets himself think.

 _Do I like Keith as more than a friend? Is this what this is? Do I just think I like him as more than a friend?_ He shoves his hands into his shorts-pockets and follows, reaches to ruffle Keith’s hair and steal a kiss from him when Keith squawks.

Shiro is still deep in thought by the time it’s evening again and most of their group has settled into their own rooms.  Both Shiro and Keith are in the resort’s own bathrobes, ready to head down to the spa since apparently that’s to be expected- and Lance and Hunk had already gone ahead, Lance claiming that this place’s mudmasks do wonders for literally everything.

Shiro is quite intrigued but Keith is oddly quiet as they gather their towels and head towards the spa area, keycards and bags in tow.

“Everything okay, Keith?” Shiro asks as the hallway stretches lonely and uninterrupted ahead of them. “You’ve been really quiet since… since.”

Keith nods. “Just thinking.” He’s biting his lip again.

Shiro nearly reaches to touch him but refrains at the last possible second, clearing his throat. “Let’s just go relax, yes?” Shiro only touches him once they reach the spa-area, the sweet scents drifting towards both of them; Shiro brushes a warm thumb over Keith’s brows. “Your face is going to get stuck that way, baby.”

Keith doesn’t flush this time, not much: his cheeks go a little pink but that can be due to the heat emanating from the pools. “Would you still like me if it did?” Keith murmurs, too quiet for anyone else to hear.

Shiro smiles, offers his hand. Keith takes it, lets their fingers intertwine. Shiro presses a kiss to the fading frown on Keith’s face. “You are exquisite,” Shiro says and means it. Keith squeezes his hand in answer.

Keith is still flushed, almost shy as they get ushered to the baths through a small changing room, so far devoid of other people.

The door closes. Both Shiro and Keith go still and turn their backs to each other.

“You know, if you’re uncomfortable, you can say it,” Shiro murmurs as he opens his robe and gently folds it. “I mean, with the way I touch you. I don’t- I just can’t help myself.” His own face burns now, hot with embarrassment, fear of rejection, maybe just the heat of this place.

“I’m not-“ Keith starts from behind his back. “It’s not you. It’s not like you’re a bad kisser or anything.”

Shiro nearly bites his tongue. _Do your knees go weak around me like mine do around you?_ Instead he says: “Why, thank you.” His smile is instantaneous. It must be clear from his voice because Keith huffs.

“Stop smiling, you dork. It was just an observation.”

Shiro turns, mouth open, ready to counter but too late he realizes Keith has also turned so they are facing each other. Both stark naked with only the towel Keith is holding to preserve some dignity. Shiro’s own is still folded on the bench. He freezes. Keith freezes.

“Uh,” Shiro says.

“Um,” Keith says. His gaze drops down. Then back up to Shiro’s face. Slowly, slowly Keith places a palm on his mouth . ”Sorry. I looked. It’s just…” he waves his free hand towards Shiro’s crotch. “So. There. Right there.”

The corner of Shiro’s mouth quirks and he crosses his arms. “I don’t think I have any parts you don’t, sweetheart.” Even though he does mean the petname sarcastically- this time- it still brings back that delightful flush to Keith’s face. Now Shiro sees it extends all the way to his chest.

“Shut up. You know you’re so hot it’s unbearable,” Keith grumbles.

Shiro opens his mouth once more, the words ringing in his head but Keith shushes him instantly. “Shut up. Just. I. Stop looking at me. There’s nothing weird about being naked with my best bud.” Keith bites his own tongue and turns away, quickly wrapping his towel around his waist. “Shut up, Shiro.”

“I didn’t say anything,” Shiro purrs, as gentle as he can but Keith’s blush grows almost violent.

“It’s enough for you to stand there, looking so ridiculously sculpted and with that-“ Keith once more gestures downwards.

“You can say what it is. A penis. Some people tend to have one of those,” Shiro murmurs.

“Shut up,” Keith says again and makes his escape when Shiro starts to snort.

Keith still doesn’t look up at him when they reach the indoor baths. They share one with both Hunk and Lance, the latter’s face covered with some sort of a mudmask, the former drifting half-asleep against one side of the pool.

“Nice to see you two join us,” Lance says. “God, you guys should try this shit out. This is the best. This is heaven.”

“You look like the Swamp Thing,” Keith says. The corner of his mouth quirks up when Shiro snorts. The faint smile quickly disappears though when Shiro slips closer to Keith, their bare- _bare!-_ thighs touching.

“And you two look like you’ve been fighting,” Hunk remarks after cracking one eye open and placing his arms on the pool’s sides. “Everything okay?”

Lance’s eyebrow rises.

Keith shakes his head, a little too quickly. “Of course not. I’m just super-tired.”

“Nobody’s energetic and all over the place constantly,” Shiro hums and gently, gently reaches for Keith’s cheek and brushes it with his fingers. Keith slides a little further down under the water, even pulls his hair lower over his eyes. Shiro grins at the reaction.

“If you two wanna spend some time alone, me and Lance can always leave,” Hunk says gently.

“Not that I wanna, this is so comfy,” Lance huffs but after a pointed look from his partner, he nods too. “Of course we’ll go. You’ve been dating for like, a month? You probably need more alone time.” Lance shoots them a grin. “If ya know what I mean.”

Shiro snorts. “Not everyone jumps into bed instantly, Lance.”

Lance raises an eyebrow. “What? You mean you two haven’t banged? With the way you keep being attached by the lips, one would think- ouch, Keith, don’t splash water at me. This mask still needs to be on like five minutes.”

Keith groans. “It takes me a really long time to warm up to someone enough to want to have sex, okay. There’s nothing weird about that.”

Shiro nods, slips his hand around Keith’s waist. Keith’s skin rises to goosebumps under his touch but Keith doesn’t pull away.

“You’re taking it slow. I can respect that,” Hunk says sternly. “We can respect that. Isn’t that right, Lance?”

Lance nods. “Yes, yes. I’m just teasing you, you know? with the way you keep kissing each other, it just seems logical you would have been ripping each other’s clothes off behind closed doors the first chance you get.”

Shiro wipes his face with his palm. “Maybe one day.” He sternly tells his body to quiet down despite how warm the bath is and how warm and solid and sweet-smelling Keith is right next to him.

Keith shifts, presses the softest, tiniest kiss to Shiro’s jaw and murmurs an almost inaudible thank you. Shiro takes one of Keith’s hands between his own and kisses it.

“Anything you want, baby.”

“Aww,” Lance stage-whispers.

“I keep almost forgetting whose wedding we’re here for,” Hunk chuckles. “When you two are more touchy-feely than Allura and Pidge.”

“Sorry,” Shiro murmurs. “Honeymoon period, I think. And Keith is just so beautiful.”

“Shut up,” Keith huffs. “Have you looked at yourself in the mirror lately?”

“Aww,” Lance stage-whispers again. “Okay, don’t glare at me like that, Keith, me and Hunk are gonna go and leave you two lovebirds. You’re almost making me jealous so I gotta go so I can go make out with Hunk like horny teenagers.”

“I don’t wanna know,” Keith grumbles but his smile flicks on instantly when Shiro tangles a few black strands around his fingers and gives a gentle tug.

“Sorry,” Hunk says. “Also Shiro, you gotta let me in on your workout regimen sometime. Your body is ridiculously amazing.”

Shiro is still staring at Keith, eyes dropping to Keith’s lips. “Sure, Hunk. Whatever you want.”

Keith’s breathing is deeper, a little more ragged. It only takes a glance for Shiro to know they are left alone but before Shiro can take the initiative, Keith is climbing onto his lap and kissing him, his fingers forceful and determined as they grab Shiro’s hands to guide them around Keith.

Keith is careful not to sit too tightly together, but his weight is hot and heavy on Shiro’s thighs.

Shiro forces himself not to pull Keith closer to let their groins meet, dares not to cross that bridge- just yet- but he kisses back, tangles his fingers into Keith’s hair and kisses him like he hadn’t ever kissed anyone before.

Keith makes the softest, needy noises, his fingertips digging into Shiro’s arms. Keith’s mouth is parted, his tongue slipping in between Shiro’s lips to explore, to conquer, to taste. Shiro years, all the way to his core for Keith to never leave his arms so he kisses Keith deeper, fiercer, hungrier, lets his mind empty of anything but Keith and Keith’s impeccable, impossible warmth, their mouths fitting together like they were always meant to be.

The kiss doesn’t break, they grab short, hot puffs of air only when their heads start to swim too much but dive right back into it. Still Keith stays so still on his lap, still Shiro doesn’t pull him closer, no matter how much he wants to.

“Oh, fuck,” Keith groans, gives Shiro’s chest a shove. Shiro lets him, leans against the poolside with his eyes still closer.

“Keith,” Shiro whispers, his voice nothing but a husky croak.

A whine slips out Keith’s delectable lips so Shiro looks at him, really looks at that messy hair and those kiss-raw, red lips. Shiro shifts, leans closer to claim them again but Keith keeps his palms on Shiro’s chest.

“What are we doing?” Keith asks, eyes wide. “There’s no one here.”

“I can see that,” Shiro says, licks his lips. He even withdraws his hands from Keith’s body- no matter how much they want to explore further- and places them on the edge. “Keith. I think I-“

Keith shakes his head, shushes Shiro with a finger to Shiro’s lips. Shiro goes still and silent and listens to Keith’s- and his own- heavy breathing.

“Let’s- l-let’s talk once we’re more coherent. Maybe skip the massages for today. I don’t think- I don’t think I can function,” Keith whispers and gets up from Shiro’s lap. They’re both flustered and pink-cheeked and at least Shiro is nursing a half-hearted erection by the time they make it to the changing room and leave for their own room. Thankfully they don’t bump into anyone specific during the brief walk- it’d be hard to cover up an erection with just a flimsy towel.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys confess. And rut like bunnies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi it's me coming back from the grave

The clock had ticked midnight over an hour ago, but neither Shiro nor Keith is sleeping. They’d talked about this and that, had gotten evening snacks, had even tried to watch a movie but the untalked Thing between them is making everything heavy.

“Shiro,” Keith starts, his hands on his knees. His tank top is a little too big and it keeps sliding off one shoulder. Keith keeps pushing it back. Shiro tries not to look.

“Yes, Keith?” Shiro swallows. Their thighs bump against each other. They’d been sitting on the edge of the bed for what seems like forever, both physically tired but strangely alert.

“Do you, um,” Keith clears his throat. “Do I, more like, I’m- I’m sorry.”

Shiro blinks and turns to look at his friend. Keith’s ears are pink, his head lowered. Keith shifts again. “Unless you like me as more than a friend then maybe I’m not very sorry but you know,” Keith mumbles, his teeth finding his lip. Shiro nearly reaches to touch him but keeps his hands on his lap.

“I’m, uh. Look, Keith, I didn’t-“ Shiro swallows. “I didn’t approach you at first just because I was attracted or anything, honest and I don’t think I felt attracted to you before this whole thing. You’re my friend and I’d like to keep it that way.”

“Oh,” Keith huffs. His teeth continue to chew on his lip.

Shiro shifts, all the words inside of his head banging against each other, none of them coherent. “I like you, Keith. A lot. Maybe more than I originally thought.” Now Shiro has to look away, lest he get distracted by the way Keith’s hair curls around his ears and neck, or the way Keith’s lips look so soft. Now that Shiro knows they are soft and utterly perfect for kissing.

“I like you too, Shiro,” Keith murmurs. “And I don’t want to lose you as a friend either but you… kissing you just feels. Good. Right. Even when there’s no one to see. Especially when there’s no one to see.”

Shiro can feel his own cheeks heat up. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Shiro looks at Keith again, only to realize Keith is staring right back at him; lips parted, eyes a little hazy. Shiro opens his mouth to say something else entirely, but what comes out is: “Shit, you’re so beautiful.”

It’s worth of it, just to see how Keith stutters and hides his face behind his hands. “Shiro,” he whispers. “I’m trying to be clear-headed here.”

Shiro can hear his own heartbeats become deafeningly loud, his own blood rushing through his veins. “Me too. Maybe it’s this whole thing messing with our heads but I think-“

Keith licks his lips as he lowers his hands from his face, meeting Shiro’s gaze again. “Yeah?”

Shiro can’t help it, he has to reach out to tuck a strand of dark hair behind one delightfully pink ear. Has to give Keith’s hot cheek a gentle, brief caress. Keith leans into it, eyes fluttering close for a single, warm second. “When did I even start looking at you like that?” Shiro’s own voice is oddly hoarse in his own ears.

“I was kinda having fun pretending we’re a couple but,” Keith murmurs back, turns to press his lips to Shiro’s palm. “I kinda prefer doing so behind closed doors.”

Heat surges through Shiro instantly at that. He reaches with his other hand too, cups Keith’s face between his hands, lets his thumbs brush the corners of Keith’s lips. “Yeah? You do?”

Keith looks at him, really looks and Shiro can feel his resolve to keep this platonic go all the way down the drain, never to be seen again. “Kiss me, Takashi Shirogane,” Keith murmurs, his eyes glimmering. “Kiss me like you mean it.”

Shiro does, leans closer and closer until their lips brush. “I’ve meant every kiss to this point, baby,” Shiro murmurs. “Do you want this? Do you want us, to you know, become something for real? You can say no, I won’t-“

There are lips pressing insistently against his, effectively shutting him up. Shiro groans when he’s pushed on his back, the bed creaking when Keith climbs over him to straddle his hips and kiss him more determinedly. Keith pushes a little too hard, their teeth end up clacking but Shiro still burns, tangles his fingers into Keith’s silky, silky hair and massages his scalp until Keith is groaning against his mouth.

Their lips part with an audible smack. Keith breathes hard, Shiro even harder as their foreheads are pressed together. “I’ve had a crush on you since the day we fucking met,” Keith whispers. “I couldn’t believe my goddamn luck when you suggested we pretend to be a couple, I couldn’t even believe it when you respected my boundaries and only touched me when I initiated it: and even those kisses you kept giving. I just- do you really like me as more than a friend? Do you want us to be boyfriends for real? Please say you do because I wanna kiss you again.”

“Yes, Keith, yes,” Shiro whispers back, pecks Keith’s nose, gently tugs Keith down so he’s sprawled on top of Shiro. “I like you. I really like you,” Shiro murmurs, letting out a brief chuckle when Keith squirms until his head is tucked against Shiro’s neck.

“I like you more,” Keith says, breathless. “I know I said it’s okay if you sleep shirtless but holy shit. I knew you were a gym-addict but holy shit.”

Shiro blushes. “Like you’re one to talk, baby.” Shiro shivers when Keith’s hand trails its way down Shiro’s chest to his abdomen, fingers curiously caressing the muscles. “Keith, I’m kinda-“

Keith’s caresses turn into tickles and Shiro snorts, unable to bite back. “Keith,” he yelps, helpless when Keith snickers against his neck and tickles again. Shiro lets out an involuntary, startled little giggle that makes him flush a deeper red.

“Sorry, sorry, I’ll stop,” Keith huffs and stops, resuming his slow caresses again. “Is this okay though? Do I get to touch you?” He gets up to his previous positions, their eyes meeting. Shiro nods.

“Just-“ Shiro licks his lips. Looks away for a second. “Just don’t go lower than my hips, I might get. You know. Hard.”

Keith blinks. “Oh, wow. Getting a boner. Now that’s something I’ve never heard from someone with a dick.”

Shiro shoves at his shoulder. “I just don’t want to immediately go to extremes just because you said you’re fine with us kissing. Kissing’s a little different than you know, other stuff.”

Keith’s smile is a soft little thing. “Dude,” he huffs. His palms settle on Shiro’s chest, warm and gentle. “It’s okay to get a boner, it’s not like we can always help it. It’s just the body reacting to stimuli, you know.”

“Still. I just don’t want you to think I’m expecting you to do anything about it, even if we wanna begin being real boyfriends,” Shiro murmurs, reaches for Keith’s face, gives that hot cheek a caress that makes Keith look at him in the eye again.

“What if I wanna?” Keith says, his tongue flicking over his bitten lip. His palms keep stroking, the caresses almost light enough to be ticklish but instead they make Shiro shiver.

“You do?” Shiro swallows.

“Well, at some point but I think we’re kinda. Well on our way to that anyway,” Keith says, shifts so that they can kiss again, this time with less urgency but still with the same determination to steal the air from each other’s lungs.

“You’re kind of a minx, aren’t you?” Shiro huffs between the lazy presses of their mouths against each other.

“I like you,” Keith says instead. “I like you. I really do like you. Even just as friends. I like you.” His weight is comfortable on top of Shiro, his body pleasantly warm when Shiro lets his hands dive under the flimsy tank top to stroke his way up Keith’s back.

“I like you too,” Shiro murmurs, swallows Keith’s answer into another, deeper kiss. Shiro bites back the need to just flip their positions and relaxes against the sheets, lets Keith take the lead which Keith does, with much enthusiasm.

With gentle tugs, Keith takes the hint and presses their bodies together, laying fully on top of Shiro. Both of their eyes are closed, Keith’s hands scratching Shiro’s shaved sides, Shiro’s hands exploring the warm expanse of Keith’s beautiful skin. Their mouths remain connected, their breaths coming in short, hot puffs: Keith’s tongue is the first to dip into Shiro’s mouth; Shiro reciprocates by pressing his own tongue against Keith’s. Keith’s little groan comes out muffled but it sends a flash of heat through Shiro’s entire body.

Their teeth still occasionally clash, their tongues still sliding a little too far, Keith’s teeth even bite Shiro’s lip at one point but maybe that’s the point: because Keith snorts, soothes the sting with a cute little kitten lick. Shiro takes his revenge by sucking hard on Keith’s tongue, listening for that delighted whimper that comes out of his new boyfriend at that. But then Keith rolls his hips, grinds their nether regions together and Shiro shudders.

“Was that-“ Keith starts, taking a huge gulp of air. Shiro chases his mouth but Keith dodges, instead kisses the corner of Shiro’s mouth, his nose, his lips again.

“It’s fine, everything’s fine,” Shiro murmurs, blindly chasing for another kiss and Keith obliges him, presses their mouths together again. This time the kisses are accompanied with the movements of Keith’s hips, careful but insistent, both of their boxers doing nothing to hide the fact that they’re both affected. Yet still Shiro doesn’t touch lower than Keith’s hips, still Keith takes his mouth again and again, despite both of their lips growing numb.

“Fuck,” Keith huffs finally, inhales hard as he moves his hips again. Shiro grabs his hips tighter, kisses his cheeks, his neck, sets his mouth on the enticing curve of Keith’s jaw. Shiro lifts his own hips, just enough to get friction and feels Keith shudder.

“We can do it like this, baby,” Shiro murmurs. “Coming into our boxers like fucking teenagers.”

“I don’t know why but when you swear, it kinda-“ Keith snickers and throws his head back, giving Shiro the beautiful opportunity to kiss Keith’s racing pulse.

“We all have our kinks, sweetheart,” Shiro murmurs, moves his hips again to meet the movements of Keith’s hips. Their groins brush against each other again, harder, harder.

“I mean, I saw you naked already,” Keith huffs, his fingertips digging into the flesh of Shiro’s chest. “But holy shit I can feel how thick you are. Oh, God, Shiro-“

“And I can feel how wet you are,” Shiro murmurs, his own ears burning from all these words that are just coming out, the movements of their groins, their clothed dicks desperate for release. “Oh, I don’t think I can-“Keith’s pulse races so fast under Shiro’s determined mouth; Shiro’s own heartbeats are just as quick in his ears. “Can I put my hands on your ass?” Shiro’s voice nearly cracks because Keith nods, murmurs a soft: “Yeah, go ahead, baby, we’re already rutting like, _nnh- “_

Shiro’s hands slip down the curve of Keith’s ass, grabbing a handful until Keith is trapped against him, trapped in this state. Keith moans, the sound so low and broken that Shiro nearly spills: he does when Keith grabs a fistful of Shiro’s hair and yanks Shiro’s head back, latching his hot mouth against Shiro’s throat and sucking hard.

Shiro’s hips twitch uncontrollably, Keith rutting against him quicker and quicker, riding him until Keith is too letting out groans and whines, soaking his boxers through but riding the high until he’s flopping boneless against Shiro.

Shiro’s eyes are closed, his hands still kneading Keith’s soft, clothed ass but this time with less force, more with the intent to just touch. He moves them when Keith shifts, not to get up but to kiss Shiro’s cheek.

“Did you feel good?” Keith asks, getting up on all fours to meet Shiro’s eyes. Shiro smiles up at him, brushes his cheek. “It felt right.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm 100% burnt out with the vld fandom and its wank so this is gonna be my last contribution at least for a while lmao 
> 
> i have other less energy-consuming fandoms to be in after all   
> don't think I'll ever stop loving Takashi fucking Shirogane tho 
> 
> I don't love him more than Keith does though because no one does


	9. Chapter 9

Neither Shiro or Keith gets much sleep the night of their confessions but neither minds. Despite the lack of sleep showing on their faces, they merely grin to themselves and decide to keep the truth to themselves for now. It wouldn’t do to pull away attention from the real reason they’re all there after all: Allura, impeccable and radiant as she prepares for her big day and Pidge, practically glowing and unable to stop smiling even as she swats away her brother’s attempts to usher her to her rooms to get ready.

Both Shiro and Keith reluctantly slip away from each other to help with various tasks and thus passes an entire day. It’s only when it’s evening and they are once more having dinner with their various friends that the attention is brought towards Shiro and Keith.

“So,” Pidge starts, her sparkly water swirling in her glass. Her eyes twinkle, rather dangerously behind her glasses. “I noticed something today about you two.”

Shiro and Keith share a look. They’re sitting thigh against thigh but otherwise neither thinks they haven’t actually behaved any differently.

Shiro clears his throat. “What about? I’d think you’d be too busy with you know, getting married to the love of your life and so forth.”

Keith stuffs his face full and very resolutely doesn’t pay attention.

“It’s kinda… the air around you two has changed,” Pidge says thoughtfully. “I’d chalk it up to just nerves because I thought you two were kinda reserved at first with each other and all. But now it just kinda seems you’re more at ease. I wonder what that’s about.” She’s squinting at them now, not letting her gaze leave them even as she takes a sip of her drink.

Shiro huffs. “What are you even talking about?”

“Of course I’ve been nervous. You’re all strangers to me,” Keith mutters, chewing his lip. Shiro reaches to rub his arm for which Keith gives him a grateful little smile.

“I do hope you do not think that way anymore, Keith,” Allura pipes up, her cheeks darker with her flush. “I think we’re all friends by now, don’t you think?”

Keith rubs his nose. “Yeah. I guess.” His grin is a little crooked. Shiro chuckles and kisses his cheek.

“There!” Pidge says, suddenly a lot more interested. She leans further, her chin in her hands. “You’re blushing a lot less when he kisses you, Keith.”

“So what? Maybe I’m not used to having such a doting boyfriend,” Keith says, his words accentuated by the aforementioned blush now appearing to his face.

Shiro snorts. “I can’t help it, baby, you do blush so prettily.” He leans to kiss Keith again, this time the kiss landing on the corner of Keith’s smiling mouth.

“Shut up, you,” Keith huffs.

“Honestly, am I crazy? Is the air around them different?” Pidge nudges her fiancée. Even throws a napkin at a half-asleep Hunk and Lance. Hunk blinks. Lance makes a half-hearted airplane out of the napkin and tries to throw it back but instead if lands on the huge bowl of salad.

“I haven’t really paid attention,” Lance says and picks up his airplane and unfolds it. “I did raise an eyebrow when Shiro came to me asking for condoms though.” Lance grins when Shiro flushes.

“I was just- I don’t really- we’re-“ Shiro starts.

Keith clears his throat. “Not all of us jump into beds the instant we start dating. I, uh, we, wanted to make our first time, special. And all. And I forgot to buy condoms. And Shiro always forgets his.” Keith shifts, his thigh rubbing against Shiro’s again. Shiro lays a large warm palm on Keith’s leg and caresses it.

“What kind of a dude forgets condoms,” Lance huffs.

“This kind of a dude,” Shiro says, clears his throat. “Honestly, please stop interrogating us. Our relationship is still very new after all and we’re still finding out things about each other and all.” Shiro nudges Keith. “Baby, a little help here?”

Keith flips Lance off and looks at Pidge for a long, long while. “Maybe you guys shouldn’t compare our relationship to yours. Also, just because Shiro and I haven’t had sex yet doesn’t mean something’s wrong with our relationship or … something. I just. I like you guys, I really do but you’re kinda way too invested in other people’s love lives.”

“True,” Pidge shrugs.

“Not as invested as I am in mine, though,” Lance says. Hunk elbows him.

“Keith, baby, it’s fine,” Shiro says, quiet and sweet. He tucks a dark strand behind Keith’s ear and gently tugs on one flushed earlobe.

“Your friends are meddlers,” Keith mutters back.

“They’re just worried,” Shiro says and meets his boyfriend’s gaze with a smile. “They just wanna protect me. Not that I need protecting. Am I right?”

Various confirmations are heard around the table.

“At least you’re taking care to protect both yourself and your boy,” Lance hums.

“Well, you two already look at each other like the other hung the moon or something so I guess I’ll just remind myself that Shiro’s a grown-ass man,” Pidge says. She scratches her temple. “Sorry. I know I come across as kind of crude and like I don’t trust you, Keith, but it’s been a long time since Shiro’s introduced any of his partners to us. A long time since he’s had one.”

“With all the love in my heart, Katie, but please shut up,” Shiro murmurs. He pinches the bridge of his nose. “Stop making me sound like I’ve had a decade-long dry spell.”

“Can he even get it up anymore?” Lance stage-whispers.

Shiro goes adorably pink. Keith promptly chokes on his soda. “None of your business, you weirdo.”

“Just eat more, Lance and leave them alone,” Hunk huffs and pushes a plate filled with delicacies under his partner’s nose and stares hard until Lance caves in and stuffs his face.

The entire evening goes on that way: the conversations become a little stilted, a little more awkward than before but at least the invasive questions are held at bay. Shiro doesn’t raise his hand from Keith’s thigh at all.

Later on, when they’re once more getting ready for bed and are snugged comfortably under the thin, cool covers, eyes already closed, Keith has to go and open his mouth.

“I can’t believe you went to fucking Lance for condoms.”

Shiro sighs. “He’s the one person I expect to always have a stash. God knows how Hunk handles it.”

“More like how Lance handles Hunk,” Keith huffs. He cracks one eye open to see Shiro staring back at him, expression one of mild horror.

Keith snorts. “Sorry. Did I give you a weird mental image?” Keith shifts closer, places one warm finger against Shiro’s jaw. “Let me give you a better one then. Just imagine how I would handle you.”

Shiro shifts, tries to take a bite out of Keith’s finger but Keith withdraws it just in time. “I have those condoms now, sweetheart. And a little something else. You know. If you wanna,” Shiro mutters and grabs Keith’s wrist, but only to bring it to his lips to kiss Keith’s pulse and that smooth, warm skin.

“I have no clue what you’re talking about,” Keith says even though his breath hitches audibly when Shiro’s tongue flicks out to taste him.

Shiro hums. “Can I blow you? Is that too soon?”

Keith bites his lip. His groin stirs. “Well… my crotch definitely doesn’t seem to think so. Don’t worry. My upstairs brain is totally on board too. Just. Wow.” Keith is glad for his own lack of shirt as now there’s only their boxers in the way. Keith pushes off the blanket off both of them and turns on his back, nudging for Shiro to take position above him.

Shiro does so gladly, cups Keith’s face between his hands and kisses him slow and good and gentle, drives away thoughts and doubts and feelings that aren’t their lips molding together like they belong.

Keith massages Shiro’s scalp, moves his hands down to scratch his neck and nearly moans himself when Shiro shudders. “Can I kiss you everywhere, baby?” Shiro murmurs between kisses, still not lowering himself down to let their bodies brush. “Your neck, your chest. Your hips. We don’t have to do anything tonight, honestly, if you’re not up for it.” Shiro shifts to kiss Keith’s ear and cheek, the gentle curve of his jaw and spreads both of his large palms on Keith’s chest: both like spots of fire on Keith’s burning skin.

“I’m definitely up for it. Especially since you asked so nicely,” Keith huffs and offers more of his neck for Shiro to suck on: which Shiro does, between kisses and tiny kitten licks, mapping out the expanse of Keith’s beautiful neck, trying to remember what part makes Keith shiver the best.

Shiro keeps stroking wherever he can reach, Keith keeps a tight hold on Shiro’s hair to keep him there, only giving him a push when it seems Shiro wants to move. And move Shiro does, lower and lower: kisses his way from Keith’s neck to his chest, takes one nipple into his mouth to suck on until Keith writhes and pinches and nibbles the other until Keith’s hard-on is clearly felt through the underwear separating them.

“Wh-where are the condoms, Shiro?” Keith manages, breathing hard. Shiro’s hands are on his hips now, his mouth nibbling gently on the softness of Keith’s stomach, mapping the lines of Keith’s abs.

“The nightstand,” Shiro murmurs. “The lube I brought with me from home.”

“The lube?” Keith shifts, giggling when Shiro doesn’t let go at first, merely presses a loud raspberry to Keith’s stomach. “Stop it, you dumbass! Lemme get the things,” Keith huffs and gives Shiro’s head a push. Shiro lets his grip go lax enough that Keith can worm his way to the nightstand to rummage through it.

Keith tosses Shiro a couple of small packets and a half-full bottle of something shiny and translucent. Keith’s cheeks are very red. “We’ve been sleeping in the same room yet I don’t think I have heard you- doing- wait-“

Shiro hums, presses a kiss to Keith’s hipbone. “Me and my hand have been kinda busy in the shower,” Shiro murmurs and settles himself back between Keith’s legs, mouthing at the inviting arch of Keith’s hip, fingertips slipping underneath the edge of Keith’s boxers.

“God, shit, what,” Keith tries. He has his eyes closed, his hands still in Shiro’s hair. “Have you jerked off in the shower? Did you … did you think about me?”

Shiro hums again, mouths at Keith’s erection through the cotton. “Not that much until lately, I make a point to try to not think about my friends like that. Especially when I don’t know how they feel.”

“Well, I fucking jerked off to you,” Keith hisses through his teeth when Shiro drags his tongue over Keith’s covered cock. “Even b-before this trip. I just- your biceps- you-“ Keith’s voice stutters when Shiro unceremoniously pulls his boxers down to his thighs and rips out the condom from its packet before slipping it on Keith’s cock- only to slick it up with both his mouth and lube afterwards.

“Do tell,” Shiro murmurs and takes Keith’s erection in hand. “I do apologize if I made things hard for you by sleeping shirtless before. In my defense, I didn’t know you’ve had a crush on me before-“

“Less talking, more licking,” Keith says and gives Shiro’s head a push. Shiro chuckles and does as he’s told, lapping at the tip, suckling on it. He lathers some lube on his palm before taking a firmer grip to guide the cock better into his mouth.

“You did- ah- make things harder for me-“ Keith murmurs. “Not just because you’re so, oh god, Takashi- fuck, fucking beautiful and handsome and- nnh, but because you’re so, I don’t know, you.”

Shiro hums, begins to bob his head up and down. His wrist moves slowly but determinedly. He slips his free palm underneath Keith to grab a handful of ass to better ground himself, to better give his boyfriend the pleasure he wants to give.

Keith groans. “Oh, fuck- you know how long it’s been since anyone’s- and now that it’s you, oh, yeah, yes.”

Shiro closes his eyes, starts to gently massage Keith’s ass. The reaction is immediate: Keith’s hips twitch, his body shivers and legs fall even more open. Keith’s cock throbs in Shiro’s mouth and in his hand, swelling even more until Shiro’s lips start to feel the stretch. He still goes on, taking Keith as deep as he can go.

Keith whines, hips pushing up. “I still can’t- can’t believe it we’re, oh God, we’re here.” He gets up on his elbows, his mouth open, his hair a mess. Shiro looks up and feels his own cock thicken and swell up in his boxers at the sight of Keith.

“Tell me how it feels for you, baby,” Shiro purrs, withdraws only to kiss the tip. Keith shivers, hips twitching again. His chest still feels wet from the trail Shiro’s mouth made, his nipples pleasantly warm and hardened from the attention they had gotten.

Keith bites his lip. “Suck my cock, Takashi. Suck my cock until I come. Please.”

“Who am I to deny such a sweet face?” Shiro smiles, reaches to brush Keith’s jaw. Keith flushes, flops back down. Even throws an arm over his eyes, the other one reaching for Shiro. Shiro grabs his hand, intertwines their fingers as he continues to blow Keith.

Keith murmurs his name, not the nickname but Takashi, Takashi as Keith shudders and comes, urged on by both Shiro’s mouth and Shiro’s hand. Shiro milks him dry, whispers sweet nothings against Keith’s thighs and only pulls back when Keith whines.

Shiro licks his lips and crawls onwards to kiss him. Keith doesn’t have objections, not even when in the middle of the kiss Shiro starts to moan and Keith realizes where Shiro’s other hand had dived into.

“Oh fuck, that’s right,” Keith murmurs, mouthing at Shiro’s jaw and watching the way Shiro’s cock peeks out from his boxers, heavy and thick, watches the way Shiro strokes himself towards completion. “Come on, big boy, let me see you.” Keith kisses his face wherever he can reach, kisses Shiro’s moans straight out of his mouth until Shiro is twitching and groaning and then they are kissing again, tongues entangled, sweaty, warm skins brushing tantalizingly against each other.

Once it’s done, once Shiro has disposed of both of their condoms, once they have cooled themselves off and they are once more dozing off into sleep, only then they grab each other’s hands and tell each other good night.

“Keith?”

“Yes?”

“I could fall in love with you, you know.”

“So you’ve told me, Shiro. Quite often.”

“I think you need to be told that more often, baby.”

“Me too, big boy. Me too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> rather than let this drag on until i hate it, imma just end it here 
> 
> sorry i'm just tired but i hope this gave you at least some reason to smile and feel good!


End file.
